Archaeological evidence suggests that the original bells were cast in situ in the churchyard, and Saint Peter's certainly had four bells in the sixteenth century. Over time they became cracked and damaged and in 1778 a license was granted to recast the four old bells, plus some additional metal, into six new ones. The Pennington brothers, John, Christopher and William carried out the work.
In 1848 one of the bells was broken and others were in bad shape and by 1874 three were cracked and they were not being rung at all. In 1876 it was decided to have five of them recast yet again. This time the work went to Messrs Mears and Stainbrook's Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London, whose experience went back to 1570. The recasting cost £140 and was paid for by Mark Northmore of Brisworthy. Unfortunately the firm mis read his name as Marts Northmore and that appears on all his bells. By the end of 1876 Mr Blowey of Buckland Monachorum had made the frame and carried out the finishing touches for a further £18. At the service of celebration the ringers from Plympton Saint Maurice rang three sets of grandsire doubles while the local team executed some good round ringing.
The parish records are full of references to the bells, especially for oil and new bell ropes. Money was also paid to the ringers for ringing on special days.
Death Watch beetle attacked the wooden bell-frame so badly that it once again became unsafe to use, especially as the bearings and fittings were also badly worn. In 1933 the bells were taken down and laid out along the church path while a new steel frame was installed. The bells were then re-tuned, re-fitted and re-hung. It is these that we hear every Thursday evening as the bell-ringers practice and on Sundays to call us to worship.
"Grant,O Lord, that whenever these bells shall call Thy people to this House of Prayer they may not call in vain"
