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<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"
align=left>Avington, Hampshire – an appeal.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"
align=left><o:p> </o:p></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"
align=left>For many bell enthusiasts – the name “Avington, Hampshire” will start
ringing alarm bells! Sadly the complete ring of six bells, by Pack & Chapman
in 1771, were scrapped in the 1960’s, to fund repairs for the Church roof. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Admittedly at least 2 of the bells were
cracked and one broken, by the time the bells were sold – and they were far from
ringable - some members of the Bell Historians list will remember the DLC tale
of Jack Fidlers inspection, and the 3<SUP>rd</SUP> bell falling from its
headstock, onto the tenor below! </DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"
align=left>The fine Georgian tower and timber bellframe has laid unoccupied ever
since, apart from a small 15” Mears bell, which was purchased from Mears at the
time of the scrapping.</DIV>
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align=left><o:p> </o:p></DIV>
<DIV class=3 style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align=left
DMsoNormal>Recent donations from a former resident of the Village, and the
Keltek Trust have funded the installation of a new steel six-bell frame and the
purchase of three second hand Mears bells (two ex St Stephen’s Lansdown and
another ex <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Fort</st1:PlaceType>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">William</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>). These will be
hung as the back three of a peal of six (Tenor approx 6 cwt in B). This project
is due to be completed during September 2008.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"
align=left><o:p> </o:p></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"
align=left>Two additional bells have now been found to augment the bells to five
(one Llewellins & James bell ex Misterton, <st1:City
w:st="on">Somerset</st1:City> and a Murphy bell ex St Nicholas, <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cork</st1:place></st1:City>). These have been
offered to Avington at cost price, both bells being purchased a fraction of
their current scrap value. Matthew Higby & Co Ltd have offered to supply
fittings and hang the bells at cost price – to encourage the augmentation. 5
bells being of much more interest to ringers in general.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"
align=left><o:p> </o:p></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"
align=left>The PCC have accepted the offer of the two additional bells, and are
currently applying for grant aid from both local and national charities. The
bottom line is – they need to raise <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">£3700</B> to purchase the two additional
bells and to hang them as the treble and second of a peal of five. Any donations
towards this worthy project would be gratefully received by the parish or the
Keltek Trust, who have kindly offered to collect donations on behalf of the
Parish.</DIV>
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align=left><o:p> </o:p></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"
align=left>Any questions – please contact me offline.</DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"
align=left><o:p> </o:p></DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"
align=left>Matthew Higby</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT PTSIZE="10">Matthew Higby & Company Ltd,<BR>Church Bell
Engineers,<BR>Jasmine Cottage,<BR>The Street,<BR>Chilcompton,<BR>Bath,<BR>BA3
4HN.<BR><BR>www.bell-hangers.com</FONT></DIV></FONT> </BODY></HTML>