Church bids to let tower bells ring out once more

By Damian Fantato
12/12/2011

IT is the bell tower that has been silent for at least four decades.

But now the tower at St Nicholas the Wonderworker, in Marston, Oxford, could ring out once more.

Despite having a bell tower, the Russian Orthodox Church does not have permission to ring bells.

Now the congregation at St Nicholas, in Ferry Road, are finally hoping to ring its bells once more and have applied for permission from city planners.

The church has applied to vary the conditions under which it opened as a place of worship in 2010, which prohibit bell-ringing for the sake of its neighbours.

The church’s priest Father Stephen Platt said: “We have been given a gift of four new bells that were made especially in Russia for the church.

“For us it is part of our identity to ring bells to announce the beginning of a service or to celebrate what is going on inside the church.

“Some of our neighbours have been extremely positive. They feel the sound of church bells is a joyous one.”
St Nicholas, which has a weekly congregation of about 60 people, opened in October last year.

The church building, which had stood empty for 30 years, was reopened after £250,000 of renovation work.

It was originally built as an Anglican church, also called St Nicholas, about 100 years ago.

After a name change in the 1930s to St Michael’s Church, it closed in 1972, remaining empty but for a brief period when it was used as a sign factory.

The church’s bell tower – which is currently empty – was added in the 1930s but the bell that hung there is now in St Michael and All Angels, in Marston Road.

Russian Orthodox bells are different to English bells.

Father Platt said: “The main difference is that Russian bells are not swung, they are chimed. They are also quieter.”

The bells lined up for St Nicholas, which would be hung by Whites of Appleton, range in size between 10in and 16in across.

Local councillor Mary Clarkson has called the application in so that it will be decided by a committee of councillors rather than by city council officers.

She said: “There are some people who are concerned about it.

“Since it opened the church has been welcomed into the community and it matters to me that it stays that way.”
Ferry Road resident Chris Howgego said: “They have been very good neighbours and fitted in well.
“Bells make rather nice sounds so I would support the church.”

But another Ferry Road resident added: “As a resident with small children I would appreciate not having this quiet area disturbed by bells.

“I don’t have anything against church bells but it seems like they have changed their minds a bit.”

If the application is successful it would mean the church would be able to hold evening services twice a year and ring its bells before services on Saturdays at 5.30pm and on Sundays at 10.30am.

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