Westown Primary School Bell Tower - New Plymouth, Taranaki, NZ - Bell Towers on Waymarking.com

St Michael’s Church was erected in 1845 in Navy Row, Devonport in Plymouth, England. Built in the Gothic style, it consisted of nave, aisles, north porch and a turret containing one bell.

On the night of 22 April 1941 the church received four direct hits from bombs dropped during a German air raid on Plymouth.

In 1953 the Church of St Michael was rebuilt on the original site, but in the meantime the original bell had been gifted halfway across the world to New Plymouth in New Zealand and installed as the centre-piece of this memorial Bell Tower "to those of the Westown District who served in the World War 1939 - 1945".

The inscription on the bell is fairly difficult to read now but reads, below the coat of arms of the City of Plymouth...

In Memory of
The Scholars of the Westown School,
Plymouth, New Zealand,
who died in the War 1939-1945.
This Bell
from the Church of St Michael, Devonport,
Plymouth, England,
destroyed by Enemy Action on the 22^nd April 1941,
is presented to the Westown School at the instance of
The Right Honourable Isaac Foot,
Lord Mayor of Plymouth,
on behalf of the Citizens of Plymouth, England,
by the Vicar and Churchwardens
of the Church of St Michael.
2^nd November 1946.

The bell tower plaque is dated 1953, although the referenced web link specifies the tower and bell was unveiled and dedicated on 7 August 1955.

There is no need to enter the school grounds. The Bell Tower can be visited from the footpath.

Address of Tower: 41 Sanders Avenue New Plymouth, New Zealand 4310 Still Operational: no Number of bells in tower?: 1 Relevant website?: [Web Link] Rate tower: Tours or visits allowed in tower?: Not listed

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