ST MARY’S Church Pembroke was buzzing with excitement all day. Hundreds of people crowded into the church to see eleven bells sitting on the floor. Local school and nursery children and a group of Beavers joined in.

The return of the restored bells on Wednesday, January 21 was a historic and momentous occasion for the church and town.

The children enjoyed learning about bells, ringing bells and how to play the church organ. Perhaps some will have been inspired to take up bell ringing in the future and keep the ancient art of change ringing alive in Pembroke.

In April 2024, the eight bells were in such a dangerous state that they had to be taken out of the Norman tower before all the funds were in place. The bellringers continued fundraising and working hard to replace three rotten floors in the Grade 1 listed tower. Funded by UK Government, local people, local businesses, local organisations and supporters, plus bellringers all over the world, at last the project now has sufficient funds to get the bells ringing again.

The bells arriving in Pembroke from the foundry
The restored bells arriving in Pembroke from the foundry (Photo: Anne Bunker)

Peter Hayward, Bell Hanger, designed the new bell frame. Church sell specialists Blyth & Co have made all the bespoke fixtures and fittings for the bells. Anne Bunker, Tower Captain of the Pembroke Bell Ringers, organised the fund raising. Many days of volunteer time have been generously given.

The oldest bell dates from 1765 and the newest, 2025. The heaviest bell weighs 566 kg. One of the old bells was the wrong note to fit in with the others; a new bell has been cast to replace it, and two other new bells will make a ‘ring’ of 10 bells. A donation from the Peggy and Mollie Thomas Charitable Trust has enabled the ‘wrong note bell’ to be kept, to teach new ringers.

Each bell was beautifully decorated by a local organisation that supports the bell restoration project.

St Mary’s Pembroke - Local organisations who had supported the project decorated each of the bells with a flower arrangement.
Local organisations who had supported the project decorated each of the bells with a flower arrangement. (Photo: Anne Bunker)

Bell ringers arrived in force from as far afield as Cumbria, Burry Port, Porthcawl and Llanbadarn Fawr for this once in a lifetime event.

A service at 6pm welcomed the bells home followed by music from the Varifolkals featuring a specially written bell song, The Ballad of St Mary’s Bells.

The Varifolkals, performing at the bells’ homecoming celebration in St Mary’s, Pembroke
The Varifolkals, performing at the bells’ homecoming celebration in St Mary’s, Pembroke (Photo: Cllr Michele Wiggins)

Pembroke County Councillor Jonathan Grimes congratulated Anne Bunker for leading the campaign to get the bells refurbished and back home.

“What an amazing sight and a wonderful evening - the newly returned bells and a ‘standing room only’ St Mary’s Church,” he said.

The following week saw the construction of the bell frame begin – like a giant Meccano set of steel and oak. The bells will be hoisted up the tower when the frame is ready and fitted with their wheels, pulleys and ropes.

Fundraising continues, to make the room the bells are rung from fit for purpose, with the installation of lighting, a stair rail and a heater. Listen out for the return of the joyful sound of the bells in a few weeks.

More information can be found on the website https://pembrokebellrestoration.wales .

Pembroke and Pembroke Dock Lions agreed to decorate one of the bells that have been restored for rehanging at St Mary’s Church, Pembroke.
Pembroke and Pembroke Dock Lions agreed to decorate one of the bells that have been restored for rehanging at St Mary’s Church, Pembroke. (P and PD Lions)