Over 150 years since a north Wales church was built with plans for a full ring of bells, the sound long intended for its tower is finally set to be heard at an Easter service.
The bells of St Mary’s Church in Betws-y-Coed are due to sound ahead of the church’s 11am Easter Day family Eucharist and blessing of the lambs, marking the first time the complete ring has been used in worship since the church was established in the 19th century.
The milestone comes after the finalisation of an extensive restoration and installation project that has transformed the tower.
While the original vision for a full set of bells was never realised when the church was built, the tower has now been equipped with nine bells, creating the full ring that had been intended from the outset.
Eight of the bells were transferred from St John’s Church in Porthmadog after it shut down in 2024, creating a lasting link between the two communities.
Refurbished and rehung, the ninth bell was originally cast in 1873 for Betws-y-Coed by John Warner of London and now serves as the church’s clock and chiming bell.
The idea for the project began to emerge in 2019 after discussions at the Llanrwst Eisteddfod with members of Côr Penmachno taking part.
Some of those present were experienced bell ringers but had no nearby tower in which to practise, prompting the idea of constructing a ring at St Mary’s.
Since then, local supporters have helped drive the project forward, with Nigel Thomas serving as Tower Captain alongside a team of volunteers in other key roles such as secretary, treasurer and steeple keepers.
The bells transferred from Porthmadog were made by John Warner & Sons – six were cast in 1900, with a further two included in 1902.
The heaviest bell weighs over 10 hundredweight, and the full ring is tuned in the key of G.
Before installation, they were restored, retuned and prepared by Taylor’s Bell Foundry.
Work in the tower included fitting new headstocks, removing older fittings and cleaning and tuning the bells.
A fresh base frame was also constructed using elements from the former Porthmadog installation and held up by the church’s original tower beams.
In addition, the clock mechanism has been replaced, allowing it once again to strike the hour.
The project is reported to have cost about £100,000 and was financed largely through grants, with backing from organisations including the Keltek Trust, the Hobart Trust and the Bernard Piggott Trust.
During the course of the work, historic newspapers dating back to October 1874 were also uncovered in the tower, among them a copy of the Caernarvon and Denbigh Herald containing a reference to Betws-y-Coed.
The bells have been named in honour of eight local people, including former churchwardens, with three of those honoured are expected to be present at the Easter service.
Local priest and Ministry Area Leader of Bro Gwydyr, Rev Stuart Elliott shared: “It was a wonderful and emotional moment to hear the bells during a test ring. It will be extraordinary to hear them rung for the first time at a church service on Easter Sunday, so that the whole community can hear the invitation they proclaim. It is quite a transformation for the village.”
He said the project was not only about restoring part of the church building, but also about creating a “new community of ringers” around St Mary’s.
He also paid tribute to the local group whose fundraising and practical efforts made the work possible, as well as to donors, businesses and grant-making trusts that supported the scheme.
After the Easter service, ringers will perform a Quarter Peal lasting around 45 minutes using the sequence known as Plain Bob Triples.
Four of those taking part also rang the final Quarter Peal at St John’s in Porthmadog before that church shut down.
