Well, that didn’t last long, did it?
This time last week, I was waxing lyrical about the arrival of spring and the long-missed sound of the chiming of the church clock on the hour.
I even wrote about its repair for my not-yet-published editorial in the parish magazine, which has gone to press but isn’t out yet:
It is a joy to see it working again and chiming the hour, too. It’s been a part of village life for so long, it’s like welcoming back an old friend.
And then that ‘old friend’ promptly turned around and fled.
You see, after just two days, the church clock was stopped from chiming.
Apparently, someone new to the village complained that it was keeping them awake.
I’m not angry but I am saddened and upset. Village life is precious and the clock has been there for generations, an aural reminder of the passing of time. It takes one person to complain and then the bell is cancelled.
Now I know there are more important things in the world to worry about right now, and I don’t wish to go all Wicker Man, but the chiming on the hour, all day and all night, has been part and parcel of this village for years.
Which is why it was such a delight to hear it again.
Could there be a compromise? Maybe the clock could chime the hour only during the day. Apparently, though, that comes at quite a cost. I’ve heard £2,000-plus mentioned. And I’m not happy that the church would have to pay that just to satisfy one complainant. I’m not prepared to chip in, either.
I live near the church and I can honestly say that the hourly chiming has never kept me awake. You become accustomed to the sound. Your brain tunes out.
I do hope church leaders can resolve the problem swiftly.
Maddie Grigg 