Bells of Grade 1 listed local church to be brought back to life.
- The Bells of St John the Evangelist, Piddinghoe, have begun their 400-mile round-trip for expert restoration.
- Once restored, the bells will join three new additions and ring in full circle once more.
- A National Lottery Heritage Fund grant makes the work possible.
The Bells of St John the Evangelist, Piddinghoe, have begun their 400-mile round-trip for expert restoration thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
After receiving funding the first stage of the refurbishment of the bells of St John’s, Piddinghoe has begun.
St John’s Piddinghoe, which is over 900 years old and Grade 1 listed, has had its bells removed ahead of their journey from the church belfry to the workshop of Newark church bell specialists, Blyth & Co. The bells will be cleaned, re-tuned, fitted with new headstocks, wheels and ropes.
Once restored, the bells will join three new additions and ring in full circle once more
On their return, they will be re-hung on a new steel frame. They will be joined by three more second-hand treble bells donated by the Keltek Trust, a charity devoted to the preservation of church bells. These three bells, all early 18th century, will be hung in a second new steel frame in the ancient round tower. The restoration and donation will allow six bells to ring full circle.
Community Heritage Project
Whilst they are away, two local schools in Newhaven will be developing an exciting engagement and legacy project. Seahaven Academy students will be trained by Strike a Light, locally based Arts and Heritage consultants in the skills of interviewing, recording and editing the histories of their families, peers and local community. Our young oral historians will capture the real stories behind the births, marriages and farewells across the many generations of our local community.
For their younger peers at Harbour Primary School there will be the opportunity to learn how to ring hand bells over next summer term and be the cornerstone of our Autumn Ouse Valley Churches exhibition and concerts.
Seaford-based Iris Visuals Media Productions will be filming a documentary over the year, interviewing people and capturing the journey of the bells and our young people. The film will be accompanied by a book and an Ouse Valley-wide exhibition as we celebrate this unique moment for our community next autumn.
Brigid Simmonds OBE, funding co-ordinator for the project, said:
“After months of planning and fundraising we are delighted to see the bells go with Blyth to Newark for refurbishment. We are looking forward to working with the young people from Seahaven Academy developing their future life skills whilst capturing precious local heritage and their peers at Harbour Primary school in the musical art of hand bell ringing. It’s a unique and wonderful opportunity to bring our Ouse Valley Churches together to celebrate the ancient and important art of full circle ringing. We are, as ever, grateful to all National Lottery Players and the National Lottery Heritage Fund for supporting this unusual, imaginative and inclusive project.”