Church bells

[Isxmasoveryet]

Am i being unreasonable to think churches should not be aloud to ring those damn bells for hours on end a few times a week it not very christain disturbing neighbours etc for several hours

8am to 11 every Sunday morning 7pm to 10 pm every Thursday and whenever they can in between

Sorry you are suffering anxiety and stress.

as they are such a deep rooted cultural thing (not just religious, they are part of village life and sounds in many places) can you somehow reframe it in your mind as a good and joyful thing?

Ah ok, I was going to make a sarky comment but it's not about the church bells if you're in a hostel. You're in a highly stressful situation and just feeling on edge.

If you can at all, try to detach from your annoyance with the church bells. They're not going anywhere (and yes it's reasonable that they ring), and you feeling irritated every time is only going to make things harder for you. You have enough on your plate I suspect.

Speak to the vicar about it. They are usually lovely people and will endeavour to find a mutually agreeable resolution. You may even find the church community can provide you with some support, even if you're not religious congregations are usually made up of kind souls.

I do think 5.5 hours of solid ringing sounds a bit unusual.

I love the sound of church bells and they wouldn't bother me at all generally, but I think even I might start getting irritated at over 5 hours of solid ringing.

I don't know if it's a regular thing, so you could ask about days/times and at least be prepared, or an unusual one-off that shouldn't be an issue very often.

Either way, definitely better than a dog barking, children screaming, loud music blaring.

Im sorry you have no control over where you’re living. Church bell fingers have to practice plus sometimes they will visit other churches and ring together. Church services and bell ringing practices are usually same time every week and will be listed in the church porch. Perhaps you could find out when they will be and then be out while they’re going on?

they’re not going to stop doing something they’ve done for centuries so you need to find a way to manage your response and hopefully you’ll be able to move on sonehete more suitable soon

If you're living in a hostel, I'm guessing there is more going on in your life and the church bells are just the last straw for you. Trying to reframe your thinking about them might help - they're something that's been going on for hundreds and hundreds of years, thousands and thousands of people have stood where you're standing and listened to them, they have rung for weddings and funerals....they are part of life. Someone upthread suggested joining the bell ringers- is that something you might want to do?

posted in error.

Five and a half hours of ringing?
Bell ringing is hard work. I'm not convinced they were ringing for that long.

Yesterday they were ringing bells in the next village as a tribute to the chief bell ringer who died very recently.

@Isxmasoveryet I'm sorry that your circumstances are less than ideal, so the only thing I can suggest is that you get some ear plugs or ear defenders. Hopefully you will be able to move away soon.

For the millennium a Catholic church near us got some sort of grant to install a recording of church bells that would play hourly from 8 am to midnight . A loud annoying bong rather than anything at all tuneful. I am a light sleeper and it took me years, and the installation of double glazing to get used to it.

I love the sound of church bells despite being an atheist but this sounds is just annoying. It probably wouldn't be as bad if it were a real bell rather than this cheap lazy imitation.

Sorry, crossed with your update.

I think I could live with that tbh - twice a week, known days/times, lovely sound, not unpredictable or unpleasant.

As pp have said, ear defenders or music, help for anxiety. It sounds as if you are there temporarily so shouldn't be for too long.

I love them personally, but do agree that 5 plus hours is a bit much (reminds me of the ghost story, Ringing the Changes). Agree with pp that ear plugs are a good idea - you can get some quite nice ones now.

Those are not unreasonable times to be ringing bells.

Excessive bell ringing could be a case in which you could raise a complaint about noise pollution. However, I think that its a good idea to speak to the vicar or priest and see if things can be handled amicably. I used to live in the Moddle East and found the very early call to prayer from the Mosque right beside my apartment very annoying as it woke us all up, including the babies. I do sympathise. I'm a Christian and love the sound of church bells but can understand that 5 and a half hours does sound like a lot, and can concede that the early start might be annoying too. Try to reach out and see what happens.

It would be unreasonable for them to stop because you struggle with anxiety, yes. Have you tried ear cancelling headphones etc?

I'm am atheist and loathe most things about religion. Church bells are one of the few things I like about it 😅.
I find the social history side of churches that have been at the same location and have been the centre and gathering point of a community for many hundreds of years to be fascinating, church bells are a part of that and i would hate to see them curtailed by restrictions.
However if you didn't choose to live there I can sympathise, sometimes a noise other people just tune out can feel.like it's boring through your brain. I'd really suggest some sound cancelling ear phones if you can get them

Church bells don’t ring that for long. A slight over reaction I think, our church has two masses on a Sunday morning, they ring for before mass at 9 and then again before mass at 11. If they are ringing solidly for two hours on a Sunday morning then not sure when mass is taking place?

they will have practice of course but even then it isn’t 5.5 hours a week

why are the church bells ringing so much?
was this last weekend?

As you have no control over where you are living it is a bit rubbish for you and the added stress of not knowing how long you will be there is probably adding to the anxiety. Hopefully you won't be in the hostel long.

Anyone who chooses to buy within hearing distance of church bells but then moans about them however are massively unreasonable. Those who chose to buy near churches and then actively complain and campaign to have the bells stopped deserve their own circle in hell (preferably with 24hr 7 days a week church bell ringing).

The church has probably been there for over a hundred years and the bells are a part of it.

You have said that you don't have a choice where you live but you can't stop the enjoyment of many just for you.

Another atheist here & yes church bells should be allowed anytime!

can you move to a different hostel?

That's a lot. If this is a typical week, that's excessive. Yanbu.

It sounds horrible for you OP. Is there anyone at the hostel who could help eg by giving you a room further away from the noise ? Do earplugs help? It might help to speak to the vicar and at least ask to be told when the bells will be ringing so you can go out.

Are you blind perhaps- I'm sure the church was there before you moved in.