After over 200 years, the hourly ringing of the Beith Parish Church bell in Ayrshire has been silenced at night due to a noise complaint. The Church of Scotland now stops the bell from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM following a resident's complaint about disturbed sleep.
This decision has sparked a petition with more than 900 signatures, led by local resident Bryan McWilliams, to restore the 24-hour chime, emphasizing its significance to Beith's history and community identity.
The church's Kirk Session responded empathetically to the complaint, considering the biblical teaching of loving one's neighbor. Beith Parish Church, established in 1810, had previously faced discussions about the bell's ringing in the 1990s, but the tradition continued until now.
North Ayrshire Council noted that environmental health assessments for noise nuisance would take into account the bell's long-established cultural and religious significance.
