PembroKe Bell Restoration

Pembroke bells to be restored.

Bells have rung in the church of St. Mary’s, Pembroke since the 1760s but were allowed to get in a terrible state. Notoriously challenging to ring and out of tune, the bells needed significant work to save them and improve them to the standard the historic Norman tower deserves.

Several different bell founders cast the eight bells in different years. For Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897, six bells were restored and two new ones added. To save the bells as part of the history and heritage of Pembroke Town, the Pembroke Bell Ringers are undertaking an extensive restoration project.

The bells had to be taken out in April 2024 because the beams supporting the bell frame had parted company with the tower walls.  The Guild Bell Restoration Officer Peter Hayward instructed and supervised a band of volunteers who spent 6 days working hard to lower the bells into the church vestry.  They will be re-tuned, a new bell frame will be built further down the tower and the bells will be rehung with new fittings. We will add two new bells to make a peal of ten*.   All the permissions are in place. The Grant of Faculty is based on Blyth & Co. Church Bell Specialists undertaking the work.

This exciting heritage project will safeguard the bells for the next few hundred years, to be enjoyed by all, for many generations to come.

£200,000 plus VAT is the cost of refurbishment for the ring of eight bells, two additional bells and new floors and ceilings. 

We have raised £45,000 including promises so far (September 2024).  Every little donation will get us closer to our target. 

THE ST MARY’S PEMBROKE BELL RESTORATION PROJECT FUND

Registered Charity Number 1205082

Sort code: 30-16-20, Account number: 07358466

(Donations of £20 or more will be recorded in a donations book)

We can claim gift aid of 25%.  If you donate £20 we get £25!

Quick and easy donations via GoFundMe, but gift aid can’t be claimed through this fundraiser, so if you are able to donate direct to the charity account instead that would be better.  Please send an email to annebunker20@gmail.com so we can thank you and send you a gift aid form.

You can help choose the new bell dedications/inscriptions if you buy a bell.

If you would like to donate a bell, help out or learn how to ring please contact Anne Bunker abunker@marineseen.com  07977 541520

The 8 bells and the board describing them.