Don't silence the sound of our bells

People in Beaminster say they enjoy the sound of St Mary's Church and don't want sound control installed in the belfry.

The ringers came up with the idea of sound proofing - at a cost of £4,000 - to save nearby residents from listening to the ringers warming up and practising.

The ringers sent letters to residents in nearby St Mary Well Street, Shorts Lane and Church Street to let them know of the plans.

Tower captain Chris Longridge said: "This initiative came from the ringers, not as a result of any complaint. We as ringers thought it was something that the local community would benefit from and that would enhance their lives, particularly on practice nights."

But the ringers were surprised, although delighted, at the strength of reaction they had to the proposals.

Mr Longridge said: "We had a lot of reaction. There was a petition with over 60 names on it saying, please don't change anything, we love the bells and we like to hear them.

"We were very surprised and very pleased that everybody likes the bells so much."

What has concerned Mr Longridge is the mistaken idea that has got around the town that the proposal was to do with newcomers complaining about the bells. "There have been no complaints for many, many years," he stressed. "This has nothing to do with a particular group who have lived in Beaminster for two years or 200 years."

Mr Longridge said he was confident with the overwhelming support for the bells that the ringers will vote to drop the plan and that the parochial church council will agree with them.

Two letters in the Beaminster Team News from Councillor Douglas Beazer and ex-community beat police officer Clive Chamberlain bear out that people are blaming newcomers for wanting the bells silenced.

Coun Beazer said: "I cannot understand why anyone would decide to come and live here, even so close to the church when quite obviously they don't like the sound of the bells, no one forces them and they have the option not to come."