Helpringham Newcomer Requests Silencing of Church Bell

A new resident in the Lincolnshire village of Helpringham has requested the cessation of the church’s hourly chimes. Tony Partridge, aged 68, stated that the bell of St Andrew’s Church’s clock, which tolls hourly, disrupts his sleep and is superfluous in an era of mobile phones and timepieces. Partridge commented, “I couldn’t believe how loud it was – I assumed they’d turn it off for the night-time hours and just have it during the day.” Conversely, the Rev Capt Chris Harrington asserted that the automated chimes are an integral aspect of village life and would not be silenced. Mr. Partridge, a recent arrival to the locality, initiated a discussion in a Facebook group to gauge villagers’ support for his position. Nevertheless, his proposition did not resonate with the local populace. A resident responded, “If you move to the countryside, don’t complain about something that has been going on here for centuries.” Another individual remarked, “I really hope your post was meant in humour, because I will worry that you may hear the cows mooing or the freight trains running.” Mr. Partridge acknowledged that he might have appeared as a “grouch” and conceded that his Facebook post was somewhat “mischievous.” He further stated, “Coming from a town, I’m just not used to that sort of thing.” He continued, “I’m sure I’ll get used to it like everyone else. I don’t want to cause trouble.” St Andrew’s Church was established around 1200 and underwent restoration in 1891. Mr. Harrington commented, “It’s a bit like a grandfather clock in your hallway – it chimes on the hour, 24 hours.” He added, “It’s just part of village life. If you’ve got a lovely church like this, with a lovely clock on it and a bell, it’s great. “I think most people don’t really notice it until it stops.” He concluded, “I’m sorry it’s affected somebody – but that’s just life.”