The Old Bell Tolls Again

What looks like an old clock tower standing in the Market Square of my little Chilterns town was actually only built in 1992. The 18th century Town Hall stood here until it was demolished in 1965, and the new clock tower - built from locally-produced bricks - incorporates the original glass dial and mechanism from the 19th century clock turret of the old Town Hall.

Recently, the bell that rang out from the Town Hall 100 years ago to mark the start of the First World War has been restored and hung in the clock tower ready for the town's centenary commemorations this weekend. I stopped off in the town on my way home from work this evening, just before sundown. As I was taking my picture, the bells were ringing out from nearby St Mary's Church, where the bell-ringers were practicing some intricate peals. At noon on Sunday, the old bell in the clock tower will toll once for each of the 188 servicemen from the town who gave their lives in the Great War.