A historic 230-year-old bell recently discovered inside a Stonehaven church tower needs funding to return it to its former glory.
The discovery of the hefty 50kg chime was made by a steeplejack who was helping repair the dry rot found in the roof of St James’ Episcopal Church.
A new ladder was installed inside the bell tower after lottery funding was secured last year. Building convener David Fleming said: “The bell tower itself was very dark if you were looking up at it from the ground floor – so we hadn’t realised it was there.
“I have since spoken to some members of the congregation who do remember it being rung, but it had simply been forgotten about.”
The bell itself was found to be in good condition, but the iron mountings holding it up had almost rusted away.
Mr Fleming added: “The steeplejack managed to lower the bell down to safety, but when he tried to remove the iron work – it just fell apart.
“We were very lucky that we managed to get the bell down before it fell of its own accord and did serious damage. “
Now the congregation are hoping to raise the £18,000 required to build a new wheel and inner mechanism for the bell in time for Remembrance Day and the centenary of the Armistice.
Mr Fleming said: “We are hoping the bell will be reinstated by then to take part in the UK-wide bell ringing which is taking place to mark the end of the First World War. Church bells then were rung across the land at the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month and this will be replicated.”
There is documentation to show that the bell had originally hung in the belfry of the demolished Episcopal Chapel in the High Street and was subsequently moved to the St James’ when it was built in 1885.
A crowd funding campaign is being launched by the church congregation on Mothering Sunday at a special service.
The heavy bell will be placed outside the church during the service and will be rung by local school children to mark the launch.