Repairs to 600-year-old church bells completed

Isaac O'Shea from O'Shea Engineering described the restoration project as "extremely rewarding"

A set of 600-year-old church bells have been restored after they were found to be "falling apart".

When the bells at St John's Church in Biddisham, near Axbridge in Somerset, were dusted off for the King's Coronation in 2023, it was discovered they were in a poor state.

Isaac O'Shea, from Gloucestershire, was tasked with repairing the bells in June. He said: "All the fittings were derelict, everything made of timber was rotten, the steelwork was corroded - it was just falling apart."

The bells are the only remaining full set made by Richard Purdue, a bell ringer whose single bells can be found in places such as Westminster Abbey.

The bells at the Somerset church date back to 1609

Mr O'Shea continued: "Usually it is quite common to find singular bells one or two, but these are the only surviving examples of a complete set he has made.

"These particular bells were made in between 1609 and 1628, so that makes them particularly interesting in itself."

The project to repair the Biddisham bells was made possible by a fundraiser in the village community.

In June, enough was raised for Mr O'Shea and his team to begin work. The bells were removed for repairs in June, which marked the first time they were away from the church since the 1870s.

On 30 November, people were able to visit the bells on display for a rededication ceremony held by the church's vicar.

Villagers packed out St John's church for the bell's rededication ceremony

Mr O'Shea, who described the restoration work as "extremely rewarding", will install the bells in their original tower this week.

He said he hopes the success of the repair project can encourage people to take up bell ringing.

"It [bell-ringing] is uniquely British," Mr O'Shea added.

"Bell ringing has been around as an art for over 500 years. It's a social activity, you don't have to be particularly religious to do it. It's a British activity that is not just for old men wearing robes."