St Mary’s Church in Betws-y-Coed, Conwy, marked a historic milestone this Easter as bells rang from its tower for the first time.

The new bells at St Mary’s Church marked the culmination of a project spanning over 150 years, and finally rang out during the family Eucharist and blessing of the lambs.  

The bell tower was originally built with capacity for a "full ring"; typically four to sixteen bells mounted on wheels, which can swing in a full circle motion. However, it was not until 2019 that work began to install them.

The project saw eight bells transferred from St John’s Church in Porthmadog, following its closure, and the restoration of St Mary’s original 1873 bell. It was entirely funded by local donations.

Revd Stuart Elliott, vicar at St Mary’s, reflected on the significance of the occasion: “With over 150 people packed into St Mary’s Church for a special service, Easter Sunday 2026 in Betws-y-Coed was a beautiful celebration of the miracle of Easter… This project was shaped by many in the community and would not have been possible without local people at its heart. Local individuals and businesses together with charitable trusts financed the project.”

“Not only does the church and community now have the bells to ring for celebrations, there are opportunities to learn bell ringing and to welcome visiting ringers in the future,” Revd Elliott added.