Re: [Bell Historians] Daily Telegraph letter

[Dickon Love]

Here is my contribution that I have sent up, taking up Robert's advice for something short and pithy:


Sir,

So Mr Venning from the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings thinks that bellringers want all bells equally easy to ring at the expense of preserving old bellframes (Letters, 22 October).  But parishioners are also interested in preserving the sound of bells ringing on a Sunday rather than let this aspect of heritage lapse into history.  There is no shortage of old historic frames in the country, and in many places they are preserved alongside newer installations.  But when there is an inevitable conflict, it is only right that all aspects of belfry heritage are considered rather than just the physical ones.  That is why codes of practice have been drawn up to help those who have to make such judgments.

Imagine what the world would be like if no-one was allowed to replace their first car with a newer one – would we all be expected to walk?  Fortunately there are plenty of vintage car collections, just as there are plenty of preserved historic bellframes.

Dickon Love
Tower Keeper,
St Magnus the Martyr,
City of London