Occasionally, people get in touch with St Matthew's to ask about our 'bells'. In fact, we only have one, about which we have little information, but you will hear it being tolled before every service in the Church.
Generally, people are referring to the carillion they seem to hear when walking around the Parish. This strikes the hours between 8am and 10pm, plays the Angelus at Noon and 6pm and the Salve Regina (a traditional hymn to Our Lady) at 3pm. It also plays seasonal hymns at 9am and 7pm. This is all powered by a machine (fondly known as 'Quasimodo') and the chimes are recordings. They sound so realistic because they are recordings of real bells in real bell towers, played through a very high quality speaker.
The volume is set to a minimal level and whereas it is audible for a distance on very still, windless days, sometimes a gust of wind can render it almost inaudible from the street outside, but waft the ring to further reaches, as the bell tower is so high up. We hope that it brings a little colour into your day and reminds us all of the lively community praising God in the midst of the area.
