Historic bells have started to ring again after 50 years of silence thanks to £30,000 in grants and fundraising.

The bells were removed from St Sampson’s, South Hill, in November 2021 due to safety concerns.

Four years of fundraising and support from grant funders means they have now been restored and reinstated in the church tower.

A crowd gathered to welcome them back on Monday, January 12, when they arrived on a lorry from Taylors Bellfoundry, Loughborough.

The Historic church bells in the tower.driver was reported to comment: “There was a certain amount of pressure as I unloaded them. I don’t normally have an audience for my deliveries.”

A silhouette of a person in the front left carrying a bell towards an archway. The arched roof is made of wood and the walls are white. the floor is reddish, brown. On Sunday, January 18, the bells sounded again – inviting people to church. The restoration was thanks to the support of grant funders including The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Church Care, Aurelius Trust, The Elmgrant Trust, The Sharpe Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, individual donors, local fundraisers, and fundraising events – helping to reach the target of £30,000.

The ring of five bells at St Sampson’s Church comprises four cast in 1698 by John Pennington and John Stadler, and a tenor bell cast in 1831 by William and Charles Pannell. Each bell is embellished with the names of local people from their era, serving as a unique testament to the community’s history and heritage.

A neighbour said: “We are very excited to hear them again.”

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players, it supportsA close up of an historic bell. projects that connect people and communities to heritage. The Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings and our industrial legacy to the natural environment, collections, traditions and stories, heritage encompasses everything from the past that people value and wish to pass on to future generations. The Fund believes in the power of heritage to inspire imagination, offer joy, and build pride in place and connection to the past.