New church bells to be blessed after decade-long campaign to get them installed

More than a decade has passed since a group of bell ringing enthusiasts began their campaign to get six new bells installed in their local church.

This Sunday (April 30), their mission will finally be complete as the new bells will be officially blessed and consecrated, just in time to be used during the King’s Coronation.

The Ecchinswell Bell Restoration Trust was founded in 2012 by Simon Lipscombe and John Simpson to replace the three old bells within St Lawrence's Church in the village with six new ones.

Sadly, in November 2015, Mr Lipscombe lost his 21-month battle with Melanoma at the age of 26.

Described as a “bell ringing nut” with an “extraordinary passion” that helped the trust get the project off the ground, Mr Lipscombe’s memory will be honoured on Sunday morning when the new bells are blessed.

The largest of the new bells, a tenor which was made in 1885, the same year St Lawrence’s was being built, is inscribed with Mr Lipscombe’s name as well as the dates of his birth and death.

The Ecchinswell Bell Restoration Trust currently consists of Mr Simpson as well as Lorrina Wooldridge, Claire Fogarty, Jodie Whatmore and Maggie Hillier.

The trust was formed after it was discovered that the three older, larger bells contained within St Lawrence’s tower were reaching the end of their natural life.

Two of these bells were installed in the church in 1886 when it was opened, and a third was added during the First World War.

The group decided to begin fundraising to replace these older bells with six new small ones in 2012.

The increase in number allows more bell ringers to take part, and the decrease in weight of each bell also removes structural strain on the church tower.

After years of fundraising through events such as cake stalls, lip sync battles, family fun days, Santa’s grottos and even a marathon, the trust was able to raise the money it needed and it had the new bells installed last October.

A trust spokesperson said: “The installation of the new bells will assist in voluntary recruitment of bell ringers and enable the teaching of new ringers, while enabling experienced ringers the ability to ring in the parish.

“The new set of bells ensure the continuation of calling people to service, celebrations, marked community events and national events for generations to come.”

The new bells have also come from a variety of different and far flung sources.

One came from a demolished church that was situated in Leyton in East London. Another came from a clock chime in Betchworth in Surrey.

Another bell came from Trinity House, the national authority for lighthouses, and it used to be part of an offshore buoy, and the final three bells all came from redundant children’s cathedral in Scotland.

The trust wished to thank several donors who helped the project such as the Keltic Trust, Greenham Trust, Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers, Sydmonton resident and musical theatre impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber, and all the local residents who donated as well.

The trust also wanted to make special mention of the Newbury Lions and its president John Coleman as the club has made many significant donations and has helped in organising several fundraising events. They also thanked Martin Hough for the construction of the new bell frame.

This Sunday at 10am, there will be a service at St Lawrence’s during which the six bells in memory of Simon Lipscombe will be dedicated. Immediately after the service the bells will be rung.