NEWS CHANNEL
Published: 05/06/2009 00:00 -
Updated: 23/02/2010 13:35
(media 1806)
Ancient church bells that have been polished up to their former glory were welcomed home with a procession through Olney.
The eight bells were returned to the Church of St Peter and St Paul ten months after they were lowered from the tower to be restored.
Some were in use when anti-slavery campaigner and author of the hymn Amazing Grace John Newton was curate at the church in the late 1700s.
Two new treble bells (the smallest) will also be hung alongside them.
The old bells were restored by Whites of Appleton bell hangers, near Abingdon, before being transported to London to be retuned at a foundry.
Today (5/6) police escorted them through Olney as they were displayed on a low loader lorry and taken to Ousedale School, Olney Middle School and down the High Street before being delivered to the Grade One listed church.
Pupils from the schools had a break from lessons to get a close look and people stood along the High Street cheered and applauded to welcome the bells home.
The two new bells will now be blessed as part of the 10am service on Sunday (June 7) before they are all hung in the church tower using hoists next week.
The first session of full open ringing will be at the church's Cherry Fair on Saturday, June 27 and on Saturday, July 11 the bells will be rededicated by the Bishop of Buckingham.
The project was funded by the Olney Bells Appeal, launched in October 2007, which was awarded a grant of £35,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and £20,000 from Buckinghamshire Historic Churches Trust.
It also involved the replacement of a deteriorating wooden bell frame in the Grade One listed church.
There will be community activities to bring the history of the bells and the church to a wider audience and training opportunities aimed at providing a supply of bell ringers to continue the heritage of English-style bell ringing.
New historical information will be placed in the church and cameras will be installed in the tower linked to monitors in the church to enable visitors to see the bells while they are being rung.
Ancient church bells that have been polished up to their former glory were welcomed home with a procession through Olney.
The eight bells were returned to the Church of St Peter and St Paul ten months after they were lowered from the tower to be restored.
Some were in use when anti-slavery campaigner and author of the hymn Amazing Grace John Newton was curate at the church in the late 1700s.
Two new treble bells (the smallest) will also be hung alongside them.
The old bells were restored by Whites of Appleton bell hangers, near Abingdon, before being transported to London to be retuned at a foundry.
Today (5/6) police escorted them through Olney as they were displayed on a low loader lorry and taken to Ousedale School, Olney Middle School and down the High Street before being delivered to the Grade One listed church.
Pupils from the schools had a break from lessons to get a close look and people stood along the High Street cheered and applauded to welcome the bells home.
The two new bells will now be blessed as part of the 10am service on Sunday (June 7) before they are all hung in the church tower using hoists next week.
The first session of full open ringing will be at the church's Cherry Fair on Saturday, June 27 and on Saturday, July 11 the bells will be rededicated by the Bishop of Buckingham.
The project was funded by the Olney Bells Appeal, launched in October 2007, which was awarded a grant of £35,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and £20,000 from Buckinghamshire Historic Churches Trust.
It also involved the replacement of a deteriorating wooden bell frame in the Grade One listed church.
There will be community activities to bring the history of the bells and the church to a wider audience and training opportunities aimed at providing a supply of bell ringers to continue the heritage of English-style bell ringing.
New historical information will be placed in the church and cameras will be installed in the tower linked to monitors in the church to enable visitors to see the bells while they are being rung.
