Village life is recorded in shared activities as well as buildings and dates. The story of St Mary’s bells brings together generations of ringers and a community restoration project. The Cublington account, linked below, recalls a different kind of collective action: the campaign over the proposed third London airport.
The bells of St Mary’s
An old tower and an old record
St Mary’s central tower dates from the thirteenth century. Bell ringing there has a long history, although a continuous tradition over every century cannot be proved. The church’s published bell history identifies 1637 as the earliest documentary evidence of bells in the tower, when five were recorded. That date gives a firm starting point for a story still heard around Great Brickhill.
Changing bells
Like many working parts of a church, the bells were repaired and renewed over time. The church records six bells cast in 1789 by William and Thomas Mears at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry; the second bell was recast in 1840. A bell has a practical job as well as a ceremonial one. Its sound can mark worship, weddings and moments of remembrance, while ringing itself requires a trained group working together.
Restoring the ring
By the late twentieth century the bell frame and its supporting timbers needed attention. The church says that estimates had been obtained in 1991, and that bell restoration became part of the wider Project St Mary’s 2000. Concerns about movement in the frame restricted the bells that could be rung. The rehanging project began in October 2009, when the old bells were taken down for restoration. The church’s project account describes plans to strengthen the tower, install a new frame and add two bells to form a ring of eight.
A community occasion
The project was more than a technical repair. The church records a dedication service in October 2010 at which the restored ring was formally handed over and rung. It brought together the long history of St Mary’s tower, the skill of local ringers and the effort of those who supported the work.
Sources for the bells account
A 2022 account by David Middleton, Bell Captain, talking about the bell replacement project.
Bell Ringing at St Mary’s Church
St Mary’s — history of the bells
Cublington and the third London airport
In 1971, the proposed airport at Cublington became the focus of a campaign across the surrounding area. Follow the existing History Time Line account for the story, recollections and photographs.
1971 Cublington — London’s Third Airport Site
Village news and community life
The Leighton Buzzard Observer Village News Archive records the meetings, school activities, church events, sport, celebrations and local concerns that make up everyday village life. Its annual collections provide a route through the village’s recent history.
Leighton Buzzard Observer — Village News Archive
The Cricket Club Heritage Site brings together photographs, reports, fixture cards, newspaper cuttings and memories from the club’s history. Explore the collection for the people and occasions behind village cricket.