The home page on my PC is set at BBC Cornwall and it was there that I read recently about the bell ringing program that's scheduled to take place in Cornwall this August to celebrate the centenary of the birth of John Betjeman. John is buried at the church of St. Enodoc. Coincidently, this may have a connection with St.Enoder since there are some that argue that St.Enoder and St.Enodoc are one and the same.
However, as many of you know, the bells at St.Enoder will not be joining in the celebration. For several years now, the bells have hung idle, their chimes replaced by set of speakers and a tape recording which is rather unceremoniously switched on and off as needed.
Whilst the bells themselves are in a very serviceable condition, the iron frame supporting them has rusted significantly. Year upon year of wet Cornish winters and the sea-sprayed air have conspired to render the installation unsafe for ringing. Our most recent Quinquennial Inspection has yet again highlighted the immediate need to “secure bell frame and bells or lower”.
Like many churches, St.Enoder has a dedicated “bell and tower” fund where those who wish to bequeath, donate or raise funds specifically for the project can contribute. Bells, their maintenance, relevance and perceived value are, like other “issues” in the Church Of England, are liable to arouse passions one way or the other.
At St. Enoder, our restoration program has made some considerable progress over the last few years.
The broad plan was to break the restoration into three phases.
Phase 1 was to install a ringing gallery on a new first floor and design a screen to front off the arch of the bell tower along with repairs to the intermediate floors. This allowed us to make better use of the space in the bell tower so we were able to install a much needed kitchen area.
Phase 2 will involve the dismantling of the bell frames and the actual lowering of the bells onto the new floors for storage. This is underway as I write this!
Phase 3 will involve the production of a new bell frame and the re-installation of the bells back at the top of the tower.
Our funds will have dried up when Phase 2 is completed and Phase 3 will require an estimated £50,000. If you are interested in getting the bells at St.Enoder back in action, we will be setting up a team to focus on fundraising and achieving this goal in the coming months. Please contact Church-warden if you are interested in helping out or want to make a donation.
