Restoration

If you are a ringer then you will know that the National Lotteries Millennium Fund set aside £3m to assist in the restoration of church bells prior to the Millennium. St John’s, Cardiff was a recipient of some of the fund (just over £19k), which represented about half of the cost of the work to the bells.

The following are some of the articles and pictures of the work that appeared in the local press....!

A Cardiff church is preparing to ring in the millennium with a spruced up set of bells. A skilled operation to dismantle 11 Victorian bells, weighing three-and-a-half tonnes, from St John the Baptist Church in The Hayes, Cardiff, is due to begin on March 15.

Church ringing master Richard Hall said: "The bells first need to be brought down the tower and then loaded onto a lorry by a crane. This will be the first time the bells have been out of the tower for over a hundred years and will be the only occasion for them to be seen."

At the end of the three-day project, they will be transported to Loughborough by John Taylor Bellfounders, one of the country's leading specialists, where they will be fitted with new headstocks, wheels, clappers and fittings.

Meanwhile, local volunteers will be at work, cleaning and painting the church tower, until June, when the bells will be brought back home and installed for another 100 years. The repairs will mean the clock bell, which has been silent for 15 years, will peal once more. Mr Hall said: "The bells themselves will not be altered and they won't sound any different when they return. While the bells are away, there won't be any replacement and the church will be silent. It is a shame - we've thought about a tape recording, but it's proved very difficult to get a good recording and in that case we'd rather not have any at all."


	The facelift is part of Ringing in the Millennium, a National Lottery Millennium Fund project, through which many churches nationwide are being restored so they can welcome 2000. Lottery bosses have funded half of the £44,000 renovations and bellringers and the Cardiff congregation are raising the rest. If you would like to donate money to the appeal, telephone either 02920 753302 or 02920 220375.


	South Wales Echo - Thursday May 27 1999

Bells will soon be ringing out after repairs
by Laura Kemp

Bells are set to ring out across Cardiff city centre once again.

St John the Baptist Church in The Hayes is preparing to welcome back three and a half tonnes of heavy metal after the 11 Victorian bells were removed in March to replace parts worn out be a century of use.

Specialist firm John Taylor Bellfounders dismantled them over three days and transported them to Loughborough where they were fitted with new headstocks, wheels, clappers and bearings.

In the meantime, a team of volunteers has been busy in the tower over-hauling the supporting bell-frame giving it a lick of paint and tightening all the bolts.

Ringing master Richard Hall said : “The bells are scheduled to return on June 8 and in the following days will be lifted up to the tower and installed into their places in the frame - a highly skilled operation.

“When back in place, the bells will once again ring for services, as they have done for 300 years.”

The clock bell, which has not pealed for 15 years, is also being repaired.

The £44,000 facelift is part of Ringing in the Millennium - a National Lottery Millennium Fund project which aims to have church bells sounding simultaneously across the nation on New Year’s Day at noon.

Lottery cash funded half the project while the congregation and bellringers are in the process of raising the rest.

Mr Hall is appealing for volunteers to come forward as there are more bells in Britain the trained bellringers.

“As soon as the bells are ready, we will be looking for new recruits to ensure that in South Wales all the bells will be heard,” he said.


	South Wales Echo - Wednesday 9 June 1999

	*“RINGING IN THE CHANGES* - Ringing master Richard Hall with the repaired bells at St John the Baptist Church, The Hayes” Bell ringers are roping in volunteers to welcome the millennium at a Cardiff city centre church. Eleven Victorian bells - weighing in at three-and-a-half tonnes -returned to St John the Baptist Church in The Hayes yesterday after three months away for repair. Ringing master Richard Hall is looking to recruit six trainees to bring them back to life on January 1, 2000. Bell ringers nationwide will unite at noon on New Year’s Day to celebrate the arrival of the 21st Century.

Mr Hall said: “No previous experience is necessary, but we would also be very pleased to welcome back lapsed ringers who are already trained.”

An interest in Christianity is preferred, although not compulsory, while the most important factor is commitment. The practice once a week on Thursdays from, 7 pm,, and some get together on Sundays.

“It will be a very significant time because it heralds a new age and marks 2,000 years since the birth of Christ. We would like people to come forward and join our celebrations. It’s great fun being able to control a large bell with very little effort,” Mr Hall said.

If you would like to join the bellringers or make a donation ring either 02920 753302 or 02920 220375.