by Francis Clementi, Tower Captain.

 

On Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th March, St. Mary’s Church in Caterham celebrated the 20th anniversary of a landmark event for the church - the installation of the church bells.  On Mothering Sunday 1994, the sound of bells called worshippers to church for the first time.  The event marked the culmination of an 18 month project to install a ‘ring of eight’.  Six of the bells came from All Saints Church, Hamer in Greater Manchester, where the bells had been sold to raise money for the church after an arson attack and then donated to St Mary’s by the Surrey Association of Church Bell Ringers.  The other two bells, cast at Whitechapel Bell Foundry, were donated by parishioners to make up the current ring.

It had been a Community Project involving a teacher and students from Warlingham School, members of the St. Mary’s congregation, the army who were then still at Caterham Barracks, bell ringers from other local churches, and many other people who supplied labour and  specialised expertise to complete the installation.  At the time it was estimated that £80,000 was saved by donations and the use of the volunteer labour and expertise - in today’s money £150,000 adjusting for inflation.

The Peal Ringers outside St. Mary's Church.

So on the afternoon of 29th March 2014, the day before Mothering Sunday, a wonderful celebration took place at St Mary’s.  Many people who had been involved with the installation 20 years ago and ringers who have rung in St. Mary's over the years had been invited.  Eighty people gathered in St Mary’s Hall for a ‘ringers’ tea’ and to listen to a celebratory half peal of Yorkshire Surprise Major which took one hour 29 minutes and was conducted by Ringing Master, Ross Weddell who was only three when the bells were installed!  There was also a display of photos of the installation and much reminiscing took place.

The celebratory anniversary cake.