Historic church bells in village near Banbury to be refurbished

Four of the church’s six bells will be carefully removed and lowered to the ground over the course of a few days so that experts can refurbish the headstock that they hang on.

The bells were first installed in 1686 during the reign of James II and have rung out over the village during weddings and important national events such as Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee, the Platinum Jubilee, and the King Charles II Coronation.

Parish councillor for Burton Dassett Lynn Pearson said the work to remove the bells is expected to begin this week, adding: "From Burton Dassett, they will be taken to one of the remaining bell foundries in England, John Taylor and Sons of Loughborough, where the stocks and hangings will be refurbished by craftsmen, ready to be returned good as new in March 2024, ready for rehanging in the bell tower.”