Devon village outrage over clock chime complaint

The clock at All Saints Church in Kenton, Devon, has been chiming for 121 years

A church clock that has chimed for 121 years could be silenced after one complaint.

The clock at All Saints Church in Kenton has chimed on the hour and every 15 minutes for decades.

But an anonymous resident, who locals say has recently moved to the area, has complained to environmental health.

Mike Adams, who looks after the clock, said: "They [the complainant] have poked a stick in a hornets' nest; the village is absolutely incensed by it."

Mr Adams, 78, put a post on a local Facebook page alerting people to the news.

He said he had since been contacted by about 90 people who like the clock chimes.

"Let's get this straight, it's only a clock strike, it's not a bell ring," he said, adding that villagers were prepared to go to court over the issue.

Alan Connett, who is the councillor for Kenton, said he has offered a grant to help.

He added: "The council has asked the church what options are available. One of them is a mechanism to stop the chimes at night, another is to see if they might be softened so they're quieter."

A spokesperson for Teignbridge District Council said: "We have a duty to investigate noise complaints and we are working with the church to find a satisfactory solution."

A night silencer would cost the church £1,600

The clock was previously silenced during the Great War and again in World War Two.

The chimes are also absent when repairs are needed.

Natasha Windsor-Horne has lived close to the church for 20 years and said she found the clock chime "comforting".

"When they needed mending I didn't sleep well at all because if you wake up in the night you lay waiting for the bells to chime to give you an indication of the time of day," she said.

"We are absolutely fuming."

Nicki McGuire, 58, also lives in Kenton.

She said: "They [the chimes] are quintessentially village life.

"Why not put it to the vote and go with the majority?"

Mr Adams said he had since been up the clock tower to "slightly mute" the chimes but that a permanent night silencer would cost £1,600.

He added: "The church doesn't have any money.

"They [church goers] are trying to raise £40,000 just to keep on top of the maintenance of the place; it's just an impossibility.

"If we did it, we would satisfy whoever the complainant is but the rest of the village would be up in arms."