The gentle peal of church bells is set to remain a feature of a south Shropshire town after its bell ringing team was handed a massive cash boost of almost £50,000.
Bishop’s Castle bell ringing team has been awarded a grant of £49,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the restoration of the six bells which hang in the tower of St John the Baptist Church.
The grant will also fund restoration of three old painted panels, which hang in the bell ringing chamber and a community event to celebrate completion of the Bells Project.
The whole project is chronicled on film by Anthony Jones, one of the bell ringing team.
His video will be made into a DVD.
Other grant-aided items include a display cabinet for the old bell parts, a music stand, information boards and decoration of the ringing chamber.
John Geach, the tower captain, said: “We are very grateful for the support of the Heritage Lottery, without which the Bells Project could not have gone ahead.
“The bells are of great importance to the town, being rung on special church and civic occasions, as well as national events and celebrations.”
Work began last week when the bells were removed from the tower by a team of local volunteers who assisted Taylors Eayre and Smith, bell founders and bell hangers from Loughborough, who will restore the bells.
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