You will have noticed that the bells of St Mary of Charity Church have fallen silent. I live nearby and miss their punctuation of the week. The bells have been removed to be retuned and should be back for Christmas.

There are many more photographs here

Two additional bells are being added to create a peal of 10. A generous bequest has made this work possible. The clock will now chime the hour and quarters with the Westminster chime – the same as Big Ben.

The first quarter will be marked by four notes, the half by eight and the third quarter by eight. On the hour 16 notes will be followed by a toll on the deep tenor bell for each hour between 8am and 8pm. I can’t wait!

The bells have a long history. In 1300 a ban was placed on services in the church, including the ringing of bells, after a riot in the church. The chronology and details of the existing bells which are to be rehung are here

There is a list of all 65 valid peels which have been rung since May 1749 - a "Grandsire Tiples'. The most recent was in June 2015 the "Magna Carta Delight Major". more

The most recent Quarter peal was rung on 11th January 2020 for 48 minutes a 1344 Iridium Surprise Major

The bells have been removed to the Loughborough Bell Foubdry of Jiohn Taylor & Co

"The bells will be tuned to match the 1930 Gillett & Johnston 6th bell. Two new treble bells will be cast to augment the ring to ten. All new fittings will be manufactured for the ten bells.

The 1797 oak bell frame will be strengthened and an upper tier two bell frame extension will be manufactured and fitted into the fabric of the tower to house bells 3 & 4 of the ten. All new galvanised steel access ladders and walkways will be manufactured and fitted to provide safe access to the bells, roof and clock dials."

There are lots of photographs of our bells in the Foundry in Loughborough.