Madley Church Clock Rings Again After Two‑Year Repair
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- Madley parish church secured grants and hired specialist engineers to repair the clock mechanism after a two‑year silence caused by a snapped wire, broken cogs and fallen weights.
- The clock rang again at noon on Saturday, producing twelve distinct chimes after a nervous wait from the congregation.
- Mike, a lead ringer, released the hammers on the eight bells and then played the Ellacombe chimes, choosing the tune 'Little Donkey'.
- The congregation gathered in the bell‑ringing chamber, where a trinitarian blessing was performed and the Saturday Social Club cheered the revival.
- The 1901 installation, funded by villagers as a memorial to Queen Victoria, historically signaled dinner and work times for farming families, who missed the chimes during their silence.
Why it matters: The revival restores a daily auditory cue that farming families and parishioners rely on for timing meals and work, reinforcing community cohesion and a sense of safety that the silence had eroded. The successful grant‑driven repair also demonstrates the village’s ability to preserve heritage assets.
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