A LONG-term boycott by bell ringers of St Mary’s Church in Bramshott has ended and bells will be ringing out again in the new year.

In June 2013, the bells of St Mary’s fell silent following protests by the bellringing team made to Reverend Valentine Inglis-Jones after he brought forward regular church services from 11.15am to 9.15am.

Having now agreed on a later service time of 9.30am, which allows for the bells to be pealed 30 minutes before the service, the church is holding a special communion service on Sunday to mark the return of the bell ringers, as well as a visit by the Bishop’s chaplain, Jenny Gaffin, who will preach the sermon.

The bells were a gift from the widow of Boris Karloff, best known for playing Frankenstein’s monster, who lived in Bramshott until his death in 1969, aged 81.

Rev Inglis-Jones told The Herald: “I was so moved by the congregation who had contributed so much to the church and community I just had to sort out the problem.

“Before I started here, a friend of mine was praying and said he sensed the ringing of bells was going to be a significant issue – and so it proved.

“Changes in churches take time, and we all get it wrong. However, the bell ringers have kept loyally ringing at every opportunity for other services over the last two years, and we’ve kept talking.

“The service on January 3, is so special because with the bells finally ringing regularly on a Sunday again, we’re celebrating who we are as a community.

“This is something worth celebrating and we’re really pleased we can finally all get together and enjoy the party!

He added: “I was really exercised over the impasse and bad feeling that has arisen as a result of the changes in our service times.

“The logic for doing so remains, however it was nice we were able to reach a compromise that most are happy with.

“In the New Year, the current 9.15am service at St Mary’s will start at 9.30am, and the service at the Church Centre will start at 10.30am with coffee and a chat for 15 minutes before a 10.45am start. It is so positive despite all the bad feelings and difficulties of the last few years our bell ringers have kept on resolutely ringing, and that we were able to arrive at some compromises.

“It’s also great we’ve kept talking to each other and deepened relationships despite all the difficulties.

“When the bells ring out in the New Year let them ring for all that our church holds dear.

“For those on the outside who we’re welcoming in, for our amazing God who guides us and shows his love to us in a myriad of different ways, for those suffering in the world who we are reaching out to and finally for a restoration of that rich fellowship that both churches have always valued so deeply.”

St Mary’s bells have been calling Christians to worship on the Sabbath since 1784.

In June 2013, the bell ringing team distributed a leaflet to residents stating: “Following a decision by the vicar to change the times of the Sunday services, it now seems unlikely the bells will be rung again on a Sunday morning.”

They put the blame for their action firmly on the vicar.

The minister defended his decision to change church service times by declaring he wanted to see the numbers of churchgoers grow, after the congregation’s size had gone down a lot in the last 50 years, and include more families and children.

“The reason for changing service times is so I can do my job better and be there more for everyone,” he said.

“I get to see and chat to both congregations over coffee every week, which makes it much easier to pick up on any of the problems or issues people may be facing.”

It was pointed out St Mary’s Church, in Bramshott, primarily attracted an older congregation, while the Church Centre, off Portsmouth Road, was used by the younger generation, thus creating a divide.

The bell-ringers’ boycott also attracted the attention of the national press and was featured in the Liphook Carnival that year with a massive float by The Deer’s Hut pub entitled “No Bell Prize” winning them the top prize.