The Morecambe Bay Bell has it’s own page on the national Time and Tide Bells website.
The Bell was installed by Marcus Vergette on the Stone Jetty in Morecambe in 2019! We keep playing with the clapper system so that it rings well with the tide – come down and check it out!
We also play it each month on the highest tide of the month – you can find the archive of all the improvisations on our youtube channel, here is one : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFA5mfPtlzE
The bell is attracting lots of interest and photographs already on social media and we love to see them all. To help us see your posts and photos please use the hashtag #baybell when posting. Thanks.
The first chimes of the bell during installation in March 2019.
The Time & Tide Bells are a project started by artist Marcus Vergette in 2009 when the first bell was sited in Appledore, Devon.
The Time & Tide Bell project consists of a permanent installation of bells around the UK coastline, which are rung at high tide by the rising sea. Rung by the high tide, Time and Tide Bells are sounded by the waves. The rise of the water at high tide moves the clapper to strike the bell. Played by the movement of the waves, the bell creates a varying pattern. As sea level rises the periods of bell strikes become more frequent, and as submerged in the rising water the pitch will vary. Each bell has been installed by the local community, to create, celebrate, and reinforce connections; between different parts of the country, between the land and the sea, between ourselves, our history, and our environment.
Time and Tide Bells are being permanently sited at the high tide mark in locations around the UK, from London to the Outer Hebrides.
The first bell was installed in July 2009 at Appledore, Devon. The second on Bosta beach, Gt. Bernera, in the Outer Hebrides in June 2010, the third at Trinity Buoy Wharf, London in September 2010, the fourth was installed in Aberdyfi, Wales, July 2011 and the fifth in Cemeas, Anglesey in 2014. Further bells are being installed at Mablethorpe and Happisburgh.
“This is an inspired project. The link between ourselves and the elements are in danger of being lost in our 21st century life. The importance of that link, given climate change, is more important than it ever has been, and such a beautiful reminder of the importance of tides and sea levels is truly inspirational.” – Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer, House of Lords
Google Map of the Time and Tide bell locations:
If you would like to know more about this project, have an idea which can help to raise funds, or for any other reason, please contact us.
UPDATE: The Morecambe Time & Tide bell was installed on Mar 6th-8th on the Stone Jetty, Morecambe.
UPDATE: At the recent art auction in aid of the time and tide bell at The Midland Hotel, we raised an amazing £805 towards the installation costs.
UPDATE: See our recent blog post about the Lincolnshire Time & Tide Bell group.
UPDATE: We have been awarded £15,000 by the Arts Council of England towards the Time and Tide Bell project.
UPDATE: We raised £65.45 towards the Time and Tide Bell project at the Catch The Wind Kite Festival stall.
UPDATE: We have been awarded £500 by the Eric Wright Charitable Trust towards the Time & Tide Bell project.
UPDATE: We have been awarded £1,050 by the Galbraith Trust towards the Time & Tide Bell project.
UPDATE: We have been awarded £5,000 by the Morecambe BID towards the Time & Tide Bell project.