In 1749, St Peter and St Paul’s Church in Hambledon undertook a significant restoration of its soundscape. The existing five bells, which had suffered years of unreliable performance, were dismounted and transported to Robert Catlin’s renowned foundry in Holborn, London. There, they were recast into a modern peal of six bells.

By 1750, the new peal was re-installed, ending a long hiatus of silence. At a time when personal pocket watches were a rare luxury, the return of the bells was a transformative event for the community. Since the tower did not yet house a mechanical clock, the regular chiming served as the village’s primary public timepiece, dictating the rhythm of agricultural and domestic life.

The village’s pride in its belfry was nearly cut short four decades later. In 1788, a ferocious fire tore through the church tower. While such blazes often proved fatal to medieval structures and melted bell metal, the tower and its Catlin bells miraculously survived the potential catastrophe. Local resolve saw building works commence immediately, quickly restoring the tower to its prominent position overlooking the village.