Faith Features

Most of the bells would have been ringing out when John Newton and William Cowper were writing the Olney hymns. Ian Pearce visited the church for a rare glimpse of a piece of history...

The spire of Saint Peter and St Paul's church in Olney is one of North Buckinghamshire's most famous and striking landmarks.

In the eighteenth century, the Curate in charge was former slave ship captain John Newton. Newton found God and became one of the leading protagonists in the abolition of the slave trade.

With his friend the melancholic poet William Cowper, Newton penned some of our best loved hymns including 'Amazing Grace' and 'Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken'. They were first performed in the church and were published as 'The Olney Hymns'.

The church has always had a fine peal of bells which inspired Cowper to write about them.

"Tall spire, from which the sound of cheerful bells
Just undulates upon the listening ear."

Now the bells are out of the tower for refurbishment.

There are eight bells, the oldest of which dates back to the reign of Elizabeth I. It bears the inscription "God Save the Queene". Others have coins from the date of founding cast in. Apart from a liberal coating of pigeon droppings accumulated since they were last removed in 1931, the bells are in good condition, although the headstocks and bearings need replacing.

Two of the bells bear a polished mark where the clock hammer strikes them.

Major work is needed in the bell tower. The wooden frame has deteriorated and will be replaced with a specially fabricated steel frame. Work is being carried out by specialist company Whites Of Appleby.

Project director David Phillipson, who rings at the church,  says the opportunity will be taken to add two new bells to bring the peal up to ten. The project will cost £125,000 and money has been received from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The people of Olney have been very generous as well. The bells obviously inspire them today as they did Cowper.

The bells will be back early next year and will be rededicated, no doubt to the accompaniment of an Olney hymn or two.