New church bells set to ring in Christmas and New Year

ELEVEN “new” bells being installed at St Thomas’ Church Stockton Heath, Warrington, this week – will hopefully be ready to use to ring in Christmas and the New Year.

The bells, which replaced the old Crosfield’s bell, will need to have time to settle in before they can be rung.

They include eight ringing bells from a church at Bollington near Macclesfield, where St Thomas’s vicar Rev Michael Ridley was a former curate and two new bells donated by former local resident Ashley Pugh and daughters in memory of Helene his wife. The final bell is the old school bell from St Thomas’ school.

Rev Ridley with one of the new bells

The work is being carried out by contractors John Taylor & Co from Loughborough the same company who installed the original Crosfield’s Bell.

Rev Ridley said: “Although everything is going to schedule we won’t be able to ring the bells until Christmas. The cement being used is very soft and takes a long time to dry.

“Every time bells our rung the tower can move up to an inch, so we need to ensure the cement is properly set.

“All being well we will be able to ring in Christmas and the New Year.”

He said a Church Service to bless the bells last Sunday had been well attended, attracting around 200 people.

“It is generating a lot of excitement in the village,” he said.

It is costing around £80,000 for the new bells with a further £250k Heritage Lottery funding being spent on repairing the church tower.

Fund-raising is still ongoing, with around £30,000 donated last year.

Rev Ridley would also like to hear from people interested in becoming bell ringers.

“It takes about 12 months to learn and although we have around a dozen people learning now, there is always room for more.”

Anyone interested should call 01925 261396.

Meanwhile Warrington Civic Society still need about another £5-6k to secure the future of the Old Crosfield’s Bell which was removed from the Church.

They are also in discussions with Warrington Borough Council about possible locations around the town. One suggestion has been as a feature in the new market.