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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Time And Tide Bell

Time and Tide Bell is an art project made up of bells, designed by UK sculptor Marcus Vergette and Australian bell designer Neil McLachlan, installed at coastal locations in the UK. The first one was placed at Appledore, Devon, in 2009 and the seventh at Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire in June 2019. As of 2021 at least six further bells are planned, and funding obtained from the National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2018 will allow for up to sixteen bells in all to be installed.

Each bell rings around high tide; the bells provide a reminder that rising sea levels caused by climate change will make the pattern of their ringing change. There is every chance that some of the bells will have to be relocated in the twenty-first century.

Location of the bells

Location Date installed Note Coordinates Image Refs
Appledore, Devon, England July 2009 51°03′19″N 4°11′28″W / 51.055155°N 4.191194°W / 51.055155; -4.191194
Bosta Beach, Great Bernera, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland June 2010 58°15′26″N 6°52′53″W / 58.257104°N 6.881468°W / 58.257104; -6.881468
Trinity Buoy Wharf, London September 2010 51°30′27″N 0°00′30″E / 51.507455°N 0.008271°E / 51.507455; 0.008271
Aberdyfi, Gwynedd, Wales July 2011 Beneath the pier 52°33′23″N 4°01′45″W / 52.556282°N 4.029105°W / 52.556282; -4.029105
Cemaes, Anglesey, Wales April 2014 Also known as St Patrick's Bell 53°24′48″N 4°26′52″W / 53.413454°N 4.44772°W / 53.413454; -4.44772
Morecambe, Lancashire, England March 2019 On the north side of the landward end of the Stone Jetty 54°04′25″N 2°52′37″W / 54.073558°N 2.876932°W / 54.073558; -2.876932
Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire, England June 2019 53°21′57″N 0°15′06″E / 53.365872°N 0.251669°E / 53.365872; 0.251669
Harwich, Essex, England September 2022 Next to Low Lighthouse 51°56′48″N 1°17′24″E / 51.946663°N 1.289935°E / 51.946663; 1.289935
Par, Cornwall, England April 2023 Par Beach 50°20′44″N 4°42′06″W / 50.345567°N 4.701534°W / 50.345567; -4.701534
Brixham, Devon, England June 2023 Breakwater Beach 50°24′00″N 3°30′15″W / 50.399963°N 3.504129°W / 50.399963; -3.504129
Happisburgh, Norfolk, England July 2023 52°49′28″N 1°31′53″E / 52.824314°N 1.531451°E / 52.824314; 1.531451
Isle of Wight, off Hampshire, England Under development 50°40′N 1°16′W / 50.667°N 1.267°W / 50.667; -1.267
Redcar, North Yorkshire, England Under development 54°37′4″N 1°4′8″W / 54.61778°N 1.06889°W / 54.61778; -1.06889


Associated artworks

Sounds from the bells are featured on Vergette's album Tintinnabulation, released in March 2023 by the label Nonclassical.

The Time and Tide Bell Organisation have commissioned COTIDAL, a film by the Devon-based artist Tania Kovats. The intention is for the completed film to track high tide around the UK, and be 24 hours 50 minutes long. The first hour long chapter premiered in Appledore in September 2022.