United Reformed Church Bell Tower – Saltaire, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 50.345 W 001° 47.437
30U E 579578 N 5966295
This Grade I listed church building had 6 new bells installed in 2003 and a peal was rung on Saturday 20th September 2003 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the village of Saltaire.
Waymark Code: WMCH3E
Location: United Kingdom
Date Posted: 09/07/2011
Views: 3
Originally built in 1859 as a Congregational church it was one of only 2 Congregational Churches in the UK that bells installed. It started off with only 2 bells, but then another 4 were installed in 1870.
Apparently the bells were not considered to be of good quality and rarely used. In 1918 they were rung to celebrate the signing of the armistice at the end of World War I, but by 1922 were in need of serious repair work. By 1936 they were declared as unsafe to ring, and sold for scrap sometime during World War II.
Saltaire was named after Sir Titus Salt, the owner of a large woollen mill, and he built it as a model village to house his workers. The mill eventually closed in 1986 and was going to be demolished, but was saved by a local person. It was converted into an art gallery, shopping and restaurant complex and has been responsible for reviving the village, which has now been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This has also led to a revival of interest in the church and hence the installation of the 6 new bells in 2003. The church now has a number of active bell ringers and they are regularly used.
These modern bells were cast in the Royal Eisbouts Foundry, at Eindhoven in the Netherlands.
If you would like to hear the bells, the this YouTube video is for you. (
visit link)