A WEST Devon church dating back to the 15th century needs over £60,000 to preserve one of its most historical artefacts.

St Constantine at Milton Abbot is one of only a handful of churches that has a complete set of six Listed bells dating from 1769 — but their future is at risk if the frame they are housed within is not replaced soon.

The oak bell frame was put in place in 1902 but over time this frame has rotted to such an extent that it can no longer be repaired and must be replaced by a metal frame — at a cost of £60,758.75.

The Rev Andy Atkins, vicar for the South Tamar Mission Community which encompasses Milton Abbot, Dunterton, Lamerton, Sydenham Damerel, Coryton and Marystowe churches, said that the bells were of vital importance to the mission of the church and needed to be preserved for future generations.

‘The bells are a signal that we are open for business — the bells are rung for practice on a Monday night and for Sunday services, weddings and baptisms — if the bells fall silent it’s a sign that the church is closed. Before people had clocks in their homes they would hear the bells and that would tell people to come to church as a call for worship — they are really important to us and we want to secure them together for the future.’

It was discovered that the oak frame was in a poor state when it was decided the church would house the village shop after the previous shop closed a few years ago.

‘It all started when we wanted to have the village shop in the church after the other one closed. We wanted to put in a mezzanine floor underneath where the bells sit, so we checked the bells and it was then that we found out the frame was knackered,’ said Mr Atkins.

‘We can’t move ahead with the shop until the bell frame is sorted — Milton Abbot will grow and we want the church to be at the centre of the community.’

The frame must be replaced within 18 months as after that time it will be deemed unsafe and the bells can no longer be used as the wood will have drastically deteriorated.

St Constantine was once the main church for the Duke of Bedford and his family — he even built a private entrance to the church for the Bedford family as well as installing dedicated pews inside. The Duke of Bedford invested a lot of money into the church and even added north and south trancepts as a way to house and encourage his many employees on the estate to come to church.

Mr Atkins added: ‘It’s a minor miracle that the bells have survived and are still here as it’s very unusual to have a set that old, so now we have got to raise the money.’

With very little time to raise a vast sum of money, fundraising ideas are sought from the community. Contact Mr Atkins at [email protected]ch