Good Morning to my readers/ free subscribers and those who might want to be , Recently I was asked if I could do a story on the ‘Bell’ atop the Norwich Congregational Church. With all the bell ringing going on I thought it would be the right chime for me to do this.

I reached out to Chip Ashley , Chair of the Congregational Church to give me a quick tour of the massive bell tower atop the church, so that I could get some photos for this story.

It may look a little tattered but the sound is as good as new

Click on this link to hear the bells ringing at a recent 12:00 Noon Earth day bell ringing event.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0Zj0P0ia5f5SGu6M5uM9UrLKQ

Click on this link to hear the clock ticking time away

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0Z7340ZaeDJu8xgmxpEOW7Aqw

And this is where all the repairs are made. The workstation if you will

And this is how you get there

Stairs , crawl spaces and a platform will take you there. I followed Chip up ever so slowly with my heart in my mouth and my camera in my hand. All of this because a picture tells the real story. And all of this is free for you to enjoy

A Brief History of the Church and the bell

1817: A new church was built on the green facing west. The Paul Revere bell was hung in the belfry; it is the earliest in Vermont and the only one cast during Revere's lifetime. The steeple clock, made by Stephen Hasham, was crafted about this time. Hasham was a well-known clockmaker from Charlestown, NH.  At first, this congregation was called “The South Church in Norwich,” or, informally, “the church on the plain.”

The Paul Revere bell, presented to the church in 1817 by Thomas Emerson, is one of six Revere bells remaining in Vermont. This bell has called people to worship and has struck the hours for nearly 200 years.

A drawing of the church when it was situated on the common, in front of the North and South Barracks of Norwich University (where the Marion Cross Elementary School now stands). The University is now situated at Northfield, Vermont. The church moved to its present site in 1852.

"Peaceful Night
(Church at Norwich, Vermont)"

Maxfield Parrish, 1950

1817: A new church was built on the green facing west. The Paul Revere bell was hung in the belfry; it is the earliest in Vermont and the only one cast during Revere's lifetime. The steeple clock, made by Stephen Hasham, was crafted about this time. Hasham was a well-known clockmaker from Charlestown, NH.  At first, this congregation was called “The South Church in Norwich,” or, informally, “the church on the plain.”

Click here for a more complete history of the Norwich Congregational Church

https://www.norwichcongregational.org/history.html

This photo of the church was taken on Earth day 2020 during a bell ringing event at noon.

And here are the two volunteer bell ringers for this event

And this seems to be a popular thing to do as it is now done nightly at 7:00 PM for as long as the volunteers arrive to ring it. St Barnabus Church also has bells ringing I believe.

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