Seaborough’s 300 year old church bells have rung out for the first time since their recent restoration.
Seaborough’s bells date back to 1712 and were cast by Thomsa Knight of Closworth. Although the bells had been rung as a one off for a wedding in 2017 their fall into disrepair meant they had not been regularly used for many years. The pair of bells were restored by Taylors of Loughborough and hung on new hardwood headstocks and stainless steel bearings and fittings.
Two parishioners, trained for the occasion by Broadwindsor tower captain Norman Marsden, were given the honour of pulling on the ropes on Sunday 29th to call the village to Harvest Festival Evensong. Over half of Seaborough’s small population of 60 were in attendance to see the restored bells ring.
The project to renew the bells was spearheaded by churchwarden Steven Loveridge who raised the funds to have the bells restored.
This restoration was made possible by very generous grants from the following:
- The Girdlers’ Company grants: £3,055 (windows and bells)
- DHCT grant 3/18 £6,000 (fabric, windows + bells)
- Erskine Muton grant 3/18 £2,000 (bells only)
- Allchurches Trust Ltd (Ecclesiatical Insurance owners) £1,000
- Church Buildings Council £1,500
And for the bell nerds among you the vital stats of the pair are: 17″ 1 cwt Note B and 81/2″ 1 1/2 cwt Note G. You can hear them ring in the video below.