A message from our Priest, the Revd. Lara Bloom

"There is something wonderfully British about the sound of church bells ringing out from a country village church whether summoning worshippers to church on a Sunday morning or heralding a life event such as a wedding or a funeral. My favourite though is the sound of the bells at midnight on Christmas Eve heralding the birth of the Christ child. There are about 5,000 churches with bell ringers in Britain and almost everyone lives within hearing range of one of them. Or at least they did. Unfortunately, the bells at All Saints Longhope have been silent for some time now".

What needs to be done?

Those making the 5 yearly ground level inspections had become increasingly concerned as to the true condition of the Tower. In July 2020, Architects and Structural Engineers were engaged to carry out high level detailed inspections using a cherry picker platform. They subsequently reported that the Bells should not be rung until urgent remedial Strengthening and Repair works were completed!

The Bells and Bell Frame are in excellent serviceable condition, but the stonework that houses and supports them is in need of urgent strengthening and repair.

The Major Strengthening and repair works include:

Installation of 60m of Cintec Anchor rod to bind the Tower walls together.

Dis-assembly and rebuild of Pinnacles.

Dis-assembly and rebuild of heavy stone Louvre Windows.

Replacement of Cracked Quoins and multiple badly weathered stones.

Large Face areas of cement mortar to be replaced with Lime Mortar.

Our Appeal Target is £18,000 -The target equates to £100 per foot of Anchor Rod or £300 per metre.

In Return and with our Thanks

If you wish, your name can be written into a book of recognition for all those who donated to this appeal; you will also be personally invited to a service of Thanksgiving when the Bells are rung again.

(Amounts will remain anonymous and if you wish to remain anonymous thats fine too.)

The book will be safeguarded in Church for future generations as part of the documented story of how the Bells were once more able to ring out through our village.