THE bells of St Mary’s Church rang in the New Year and last Sunday’s morning worship after two-and-a-half years of silence.

Churchgoers and Bramshott residents were treated to 30 minutes of chimes by the bell ringing team, who were welcomed back by Rev Valentine Inglis-Jones and Jenny Gaffin, chaplain to the Bishop of Portsmouth, to continue the now 232-year-old tradition.

The Bishop of Portsmouth, the Right Reverend Christopher Foster, sent a message stating: “It’s good that the bellringers are returning to Bramshott Church. Church bells have for generations called people to worship in the parish and, additionally, marked the turn of the year.

“At the start of 2016, I am glad the bellringers’ ministry will continue as a prelude to Sunday morning services at St Mary’s.”

Celebration continued throughout the family Sunday service and members of a new minister and prayer team were introduced to the congregation.

Glynis Blake, Kate Lloyd Jones, Donna Knight and Viv Chamberlain will be assisting the vicar during holy communion and prayers.

Rev Inglis-Jones told The Herald: “It is wonderful the bells are ringing again before our Sunday services and I would like to thank the team who have kept loyally ringing at every opportunity for other services over the last two-and-a-half years, while we’ve kept talking.” 

In June 2013, the bells of St Mary’s fell silent following protests by the bell ringing team against changes made by Rev Inglis-Jones who brought forward church services from 11.15am to 9.15am.

Having now agreed on a later service time of 9.30am, the switch allows for the bells being pealed 30 minutes before the service, which were a gift from the widow of Boris Karloff, best known for playing Frankenstein’s monster, who lived in Bramshott until his death in 1969, aged 81.