The major project to renovate the 5 old bells of St Swithun’s, Great Chishill, and add a 6th bell, is now complete. Work started on 12th January and was completed on 29th April, and rung for the first time ‘for real’ on 3rd June to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.
The project cost £105,000 (inc VAT which should be recoverable) and was paid for by the bellringers funds raised since the Millennium, fund raising events, donations, and £22,500 in grants. We are exceedingly grateful to everyone who contributed in any way to the success of the project and in particular to the people and organisations listed by clicking here.
On the day of the Queen’s funeral, we successfully rang a quarter peal on the half muffled bells. This took about 45 minutes of continuous ringing timed to take place before the 11am funeral service in Westminster Abbey. This quarter peal consisted of 1260 changes of the order of the bells ringing, without stopping, so it was a concentration challenge to say the least. This quarter peal was a momentous occasion because it was the first one ever to be rung in Great Chishill on 6 bells. NewBellFromVideo.jpg