In years gone by, it was sounded to warn locals to vacate the streets and get to bed early ahead of the next working day.
But a malfunction in the 8pm ‘curfew bell’ at Brechin Cathedral instead saw residents of the Angus town kept awake all night as it rang non-stop for 11 hours.
It was only when caretaker Douglas Taylor arrived at 7 o’clock the next morning and switched the bell off that peace and quiet was restored. Mr Taylor, a former Cathedral elder who is in his 80s, believes rain storms in the area may be to blame.
A malfunction in the 8pm ‘curfew bell’ at Brechin Cathedral saw residents kept awake all night
He said: ‘It’s an old curfew bell that rings every night. The timer must have got stuck with the weather and it wasn’t until the morning I knew about it.’
By then the constant ringing had driven people demented all Sunday night.
Kimberley Clelland told The Courier: ‘All I had was three hours’ sleep.’
The 8pm bell made sure locals went to bed early so they could ‘work hard’ the next day
Chelsea Saunders, who also lives in the town, said it was a ‘long night with little sleep’, while another local Tim Crowther added: ‘It’s quite ironic for the church to be the source of anti-social behaviour.’
Mr Taylor is now waiting for the timer to be fixed at the 800-year-old cathedral. Local councillor Gavin Nicol said the bell is part of the town’s industrial heritage.
He explained: ‘Brechin has a Wee Willie Winkie Bell and, in the days of the mills, it would ring at 9pm. It was a curfew and you’d get in trouble if you weren’t inside.’
The bell made sure locals went to bed early so they could ‘work hard’ the next day. Mr Nicol added: ‘People would even lose their jobs if caught outside.’
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
