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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Church bells

246 replies

Elisi · 25/04/2023 21:17

I grew up just outside the quiet market town I live in, so I know it well, obviously. Got married, had children (the 3 absolute loves of my life) and we moved into town. Couldn't believe we'd got it at the time 😁Thing is, we live 75 yards from the church. It used to be that on occasional Saturdays someone would get married and the bells would happily ring out. Occasionally. New vicar and oh my goodness. We (our neighbours and us) all loved the Covid lockdown, 2 years of blissful peace. Those effing bells now ring every 15 minutes plus the hour. For example, at 10.59pm it will ring 4 times, plus 11 strokes. Then at 11.15pm it'll ring once. 11.30pm, twice. 11.45pm, 3 times. Midnight, 4 times plus 12. And this goes on 24hrs a day. Worse though, the effing bellringers. 3 hours between 6.30pm and 9.30pm every Tuesday, bell-ringing practice, it is absolutely deafening. Nobody's children can sleep, and they start again between 9am to 10am Sunday morning. That's not including when they have their mates over for bell-jollies, it has become an absolute living hell. Vicar has been spoken to and we've all basically been told to suck it up. AIBU to try and take this further?

OP posts:

Devonshiregal · 25/04/2023 22:35

You were unreasonable to move close to a church then complain about bell noise. I do know how crazy-making it is though as I stayed in a village in Italy as a child where they did it every fifteen minutes and my window was directly opposite. It still makes me shudder to think of it.

You should move.

VestaTilley · 25/04/2023 22:36

Move. The church and the bells were there first.

Redebs · 25/04/2023 22:38

oioimatey · 25/04/2023 22:06

You and your neighbours should all campaign for silence. If you win you can all say you won the No Bell Peace Prize.

Perfect!

Allwelcone · 25/04/2023 22:43

Tulipvase · 25/04/2023 21:37

I get the point but how do you know the church has been there hundreds of years? A village near us has a monstrosity of a Catholic Church that’s definitely 20th century.

I think we have approx 5 churches in my town and none ring the bells every 15 mins - that’s insane.

Show quote history

@Tulipvase on a side note catholic churches aren't allowed to ring their bells, some archaic law, in case it turns everyone papists I suppose.
As to the reason that Catholic Church is hideous its only coz Henty 8 nicked all the pretty ones.

ShowUs · 25/04/2023 22:47

You live near a church, you’re going to hear the church bells.

If you live next to a diary farm, you’re going to hear cows mooing.

This is why some people get put off living near a train track or busy road, because they know they’re going to hear noises from them.

Divorcedalongtime · 25/04/2023 22:48

We live next to a church too (well across the street) and I live the bells.
I will admit to be slightly unhappy when they have practise evening weekly and the bells ring out of sync for hours but…. I knew the church was here. During lockdown was far too quiet.

the funniest time was when the clock was somehow suddenly ringing the wrong amount of rings even though it was telling the correct time… I actually woke in the night because the bells rang 9 at 1, it was puzzling and hilarious (during or in between lockdowns so not much happening lol)

vipersnest1 · 25/04/2023 22:51

Caveat emptor....

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 25/04/2023 22:52

it is absolutely deafening

Oh giveover.

I live opposite a church and it's really not 'deafening'. You're just sounding overdramatic now.

Talk to your new priest to ask about fewer ringings seems the obvious answer...

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 25/04/2023 22:52

It’s the clock which is ringing the time for people who are not fortunate enough to be staring at a screen with the time in the corner .

the ceremonial and summoning bells are for services.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 25/04/2023 22:55

Sorry, new vicar.

maddy68 · 25/04/2023 22:56

You could complain to environmental health and the impact on your heath

pfftt · 25/04/2023 22:59

Tinkerbyebye · 25/04/2023 21:31

People like you make me cross. The church has been there hundreds of years, unlike you

you get used to it

or by Earplugs

or move

Can you not read? The OP and neighbours were fine with the bells. Until the NEW VICAR decided that a quarter hour bell cacophony was in order.

pfftt · 25/04/2023 23:00

dietcokelime · 25/04/2023 21:37

Bell ringing is becoming a lost art! Sunday service bells, wedding bells, practices, peals etc are all fabulous. Moving so close to a church and complaining about the bells is wild.

24hr a day? Every 15 minutes. That's insane. And it wasn't like that when the OP moved

Polis · 25/04/2023 23:00

Every 15 minutes? That's insane!

Surely that’s just the clock chiming, not the bells?

Moraxella · 25/04/2023 23:08

The church at the bottom of our garden has an automatic bell ringing that stops 11pm-6am. Any chance you can negotiate on that?

I actually find it useful in the day as I can tell what time it is when I’m in the garden or busy in the house or late for work 😅

QueenSmartypants · 25/04/2023 23:30

Yanbu

I've lived close to the churches and one doesn't expect the bells to ring as frequently as the ones you live near to do!

Definitely take it further.

lavenderlou · 25/04/2023 23:35

Weddings, Sunday mornings and weekly practice all fine but I don't think it's reasonable to have it going on all night. I would approach the church administrator (should be details on the website) and ask to discuss it. If nothing happens then complain higher up the diocese.

clary · 25/04/2023 23:41

Is this a joke post?

Campanology is a wonderful art and unique to the UK as far as I know. My dad was a noted bellringer.

If you buy a house near the church, I don't think you can complain about bellringing for four hours a week. As others say, it's the same as if your house was near a factory, or a car park, or a farm. There would be associated noise (and it would be a lot worse perhaps).

The clock chiming through the night that often must be annoying - might be worth asking if something can be done.

But tbf the OP says the effing bellringing is worse. I have no sympathy there.

BTW it is very very likely to be a reasonably old church - IME (I do have some haha) ringable bells are usually only found in older churches. Medieval or at least those dating back 200 years or so.

Amateurseamstress · 25/04/2023 23:47

Clock chimes are a separate thing to bell ringing practices. They don't leave a bellringer up the tower to toodle a bell every 15 mins through the night.

3 hour peals every week, if it really is that often, would highly unusual in a tower in a built up area and I can imagine that would annoy the neighbours. 7.30 to 9pm one night a week, and a couple of times on a Sunday for up to an hour each time, is much more usual.

NoSquirrels · 25/04/2023 23:55

Three-hour weekly practice isn’t the norm. Usually the ringers are keen to be off to the pub before 9.30! Are you sure it’s not temporary in the run-up to the coronation? There’s an actual shortage of bell ringers, apparently.

The clock chimes can be sorted with a silencer. I’m sure you can get agreement on that.

sixthvestibule · 25/04/2023 23:57

The chiming every 15 minutes is excessive. The ringing for services and the ringing practices are to be expected and entirely reasonable.

NoSquirrels · 25/04/2023 23:59

Anyway - weekly bell-ringing practice you could perhaps get reduced to 2 hours not 3, but indeed if you want it to stop entirely you will be told to suck it up. Weekly Sunday service ditto. They ring to call you to church. It’s literally designed to wake you up! The visiting ringers on their jollies you’ll also be told to suck up.

QueenSmartypants · 26/04/2023 00:01

lavenderlou · 25/04/2023 23:35

Yes, well summarised. Every 15 minutes is very excessive - we don't rely on the church bells to tell the time anymore.

Nimbostratus100 · 26/04/2023 00:04

if you live near a church tower with bells, expect sunday service ringing, saturday wedding ringing, practices and competitions.

Why dont you go and learn to ring?

the clock is a different matter, ask for that not to chime at night if its really that loud.

Deathbyfluffy · 26/04/2023 00:06

maddy68 · 25/04/2023 22:56

You could complain to environmental health and the impact on your heath

Or use common sense and don’t move next to a bloody church to begin with

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