Wells Bells Project
Help us enhance and restore one of the most recognisable sounds in Wells.
St Cuthbert’s Church bells have been sounding out for services, weddings, funerals and special occasions for hundreds of years. But the bells are difficult to ring causing the youngest and oldest in the ringing community to struggle to ring them. More importantly it is difficult for new ringers to learn ringing effectively – which puts many potential ringers off at a time when the bell ringing community really needs new members.
Wells Amateur Bellringing Society (WABS) – otherwise known as the Wells band – has instigated the Wells Bells Project to address these issues and thus preserve ringing in the city.
Project Aims
- Enhance the learning experience for new recruits
- Extend the ringing career of current members
- Improve ringing at both St Cuthbert’s and Wells Cathedral
- Future proof the bells, and so bellringing at St Cuthbert’s, for the next century
By
- Increasing the number of bells from 8 to 10 by adding two lighter bells
- Retuning and rehanging the existing bells
- Replacing one old bell that cannot be retuned, but rehanging it for chiming
- and housing them all in a completely updated frame, which is much more fit for purpose than the existing one
Bell Project News
Follow our progress as we work to restore, augment and rehang the bells of St Cuthbert’s.
-
Lift Off!
We are excited to announce that we have a launch event planned for 24th October between 2-5pm at St Cuthbert’s Church. You will be able to learn more about the Wells Bells Project and talk to our ringers about the project and bell ringing in Wells. There will be tower tours every 30 minutes so…
-
Introducing White’s of Appleton
For the bell project to be successful it is vital that we have the support of prestigious and established bell hangers. Of the three companies we approached about the project White’s of Appleton responded with the most comprehensive and thoughtful proposal and have a strong reputation with heavy bells. Whites of Appleton are the oldest…
-
What is the Wells Bells Project?
The Wells Bells Project is designed to address each of the main problems learners experience when trying to master the St Cuthbert’s Bells. In tackling these problems we will also make ringing easier for our regular ringers thus improving the quality of ringing in Wells. Firstly, we need to make our existing bells easier to…
View all the project’s news
Bellringing in Wells
The bells of St Cuthbert’s are more than historic objects. They are part of a living tradition of bell ringing that has brought people together in Wells for generations.
The Bells
Discover the history, craftsmanship and significance of the bells, and why their conservation and rehanging matters.
St Cuthbert’s Church
Explore the largest parish church in Somerset, discover its heritage and learn how it continues to play a key part in the day to day life of the Wells community.
Bellringing in Wells
Bell ringing is a community activity that brings people together, develops teamwork and practical skills, and creates opportunities for people of all ages to learn and participate
Bellringing for the community
In addition to the project’s core aims, the project aims to open up bell ringing to the wider community, improving accessibility to an understanding of bellringing and offering a clear pathway to how people can become involved.. Part of this will see improvements to the safety and accessibility within the belfry so that we can run more tower tours for the community and particularly for schools.
We would also like to install an audio/visual system connecting the belfry and ringing chamber to the floor of the church. This will enable us to demonstrate the ringing of the bells to everyone – even those unable to climb the tower stairs.
Events
Dave Sumner and his band of intrepid cyclists cycled 70 miles for his 70th birthday on 6th September 26. The circular route started at St Cuthbert’s Church and took in Cheddar, Yatton, Clevedon, Weston-super-Mare, Burnham-on-Sea, before heading back to Wookey.
Up and Coming Events
Wells Bells Project Launch
Join us to celebrate the public launch of the Wells Bells Project. You will be able to hear all about bellringing and why refurbishing, augmenting and rehanging the bells…
24 October, 2026 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm at St Cuthbert’s ChurchValuation Day
Come and have your treasures valued. We will have three auctioneers/valuers covering porcelain, silver, jewellery, artwork and other small items for a donation to the Wel…
26 November, 2026 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at St Cuthbert’s Church