Hundred years of bell appeal

9:48am Sunday 20th July 2008

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LUDGERSHALL is marking a centenary that recalls the installation of the church tower's sixth bell by staging a flower festival, a barn dance and a rededication of the tower bells.

The peal of bells at the ancient church of St James has changed dramatically since the 16th century when the tower held just three bells.

By 1786 there were five bells and in 1908 the Easter Vestry meeting decided to re-hang the bells and a sixth bell could be added courtesy of the family of the Rev W H Awdry, the late Rector of Ludgershall, who paid the £53 for the bell in his memory.

"There's no set rule about how many bells you can have as it all depends on how many you can squeeze into a tower - some only have three while others, such as cathedrals and abbeys, can have 12," said captain of the bellringers Mike Dunning.

"We are looking forward to the rededication enormously."

When the Tidworth bells are back in service, thanks largely to a big grant from Kennet District Council, the Ludger-shall ringers will be offering their guidance and support to ringers there and helping out when required.

Back in 1908 the dedication service in Ludgershall was led by Bishop John Wordsworth, the founder of the famous Salisbury school, fittingly another bishop, Bishop John Kirkham will lead the service 100 years later on Sunday 27 July at 10.30am.

Organisers hope that members of the Awdry family will be able to attend. But before that, last weekend saw a flower festival in the church and there's a barn dance in the Memorial Hall on tomorrow.