Templecombe Restoration
By Audrey Riley, 16th November, 2015
The six bells of St Mary's, Templecombe have been to John Taylor and Co. of Loughborough for complete restoration and re-tuning. This is the first time they have been out of the tower for maintenance since 1935.
We have a photo of the bells outside the church, with the local Church School children and their teachers taken in 1935. Today we have taken an identical photo in the same positioin, with the children and staff from the school. There were 5 of the people still in the village that were in the 1935 picture, and they came along and are in this one as well. The Rev. Peter Hallet conducted a short service of blessing on the bells before their return to the tower.
It took just 18 months to raise the £40,000 needed for this task, and we are indebted to the many local people who gave donations, and supported our fund raising activities. We also had grants from Dikes-on-line-voting, The Blackmore Vale Lions, The Bath and Wells Restoration Fund, The Central Council of Church Bellringers, The Sharpe Trust, and All Churches Trust.
Also, without the generosity of Viridor Credits Environmental Company through the Landfill Communities Fund, who gave us a large percentage of the cost, none of this would have been possible.
Our thanks to all.
