The deputy chancellor was asked to reconsider his decision excluding the proposed tuning of the bells from his grant of a faculty permitting other works. The diocesan advisory committee and the diocesan bells advisor supported the proposed tuning. The bells consisted of a complete ring by a single founder and had been in the church untuned since their installation in 1732. In upholding his original decision, the deputy chancellor set down the following reasons: the tuning of bells is irreversible; the maintenance of the same sound as heard over centuries is something to be valued; tuning is a matter of taste and fashion; tuning would not be ruled out if, for example, the sound of the bells was so bad as to affect the mission of the church; the mere fact that the bells are not listed for preservation is not a reason for not preserving their sound where the work is not shown to be necessary; the tuning of a complete old ring is a serious matter; and where a good case is made there may need to be a balance struck between the asserted needs of the present and the desirability of preserving the past. Where no case is made at all, there can be no reason to destroy the heritage. [RA]
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