Plans have been submitted to remove and potentially relocate the set of eight church bells from St Mary’s Church in South Hylton, Sunderland, a Grade II-listed building in North East England. The application, filed by the Durham Diocese Board of Finance, seeks listed building consent for the removal, repair, and reuse of the bells, which have fallen into disrepair.

St Mary’s Church ceased functioning as a place of worship due to a declining congregation and high maintenance costs. The building is currently in a “use seeking period” after the Diocese received a certificate of lawfulness last year allowing a shift in its use. The proposed future for the church includes remedial repairs and conversion into an arts hub to serve the local South Hylton community.

The bells, which form the church’s full chime set, would be removed from the tower by specialist contractors if the plans gain approval from Sunderland City Council. The process would involve detaching the bells from their hangings and lowering them through existing access points. An accompanying heritage statement explained that tonal analysis revealed some bells have deteriorated significantly and would require recasting with original bell-metal in the future.

Although the bell collection is not considered nationally significant, the Diocese argues they remain valuable and merit preservation. The statement notes that current redevelopment plans do not incorporate the bells, leaving them unlikely to be rung again if left in place. Officials contend that relocating the bells to another church or a training facility for bell ringers would allow them to be actively used once more, offering public benefit and preventing further deterioration.

The statement emphasized that removing and repurposing the bells is the most effective way to preserve this aspect of the building’s heritage, especially given the proposed change in the church’s function. A final decision on the application is expected once the consultation period concludes.