St Odulph’s Church stands at the upper end of Pillaton village and was founded in 1259. Situated next to the Weary Friar pub and opposite the village hall, the church overlooks this pretty village.
In 1809 three bells were installed in the bell tower and three more were added in 1909 at the cost of £400, which also included a new frame and ringing chamber. A recent ambitious project at the church saw the six existing bells refurbished and two more added to complete the octave.
The two new bells were cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London, a company which has been casting bells for over 400 years. The ringing of bells 'in peal', swinging them full circle with rope and wheel, is an ancient English art which developed in the early 17th century and has now spread all over the English speaking world.
Funding from Valencia Communities Fund, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the SITA Cornwall Trust has not only enabled the refurbishment of the bells but also allowed local school children and parishioners to be involved in learning about bells and bell ringing, and to mount an exhibition to illustrate the project.
"The sound of church bells has traditionally marked important events in the rural calendar and in the lives of the village community. We were delighted to receive £10,000 from Valencia Communities Fund for this project, which has ensured that our bells continue to be heard and rung by future generations for years to come." Richard Warwick, Bellringer, 2nd Committee member.