Bells at St Andrew’s Church in Burnham-On-Sea have been rung to mark the start of King Charles III’s reign.
The 120 year old bells at the church were rung at mid-day on Saturday (September 10th), along with churches across the country, as Charles III was proclaimed King.
Bells had tolled in Burnham and across the country at mid-day on Friday in memory of Queen Elizabeth, but were muffled, as per protocol for her death.
Under the Church of England guidance, “bells should be rung open in celebration of the accession. Bells should then revert to being rung muffled until the day of the state funeral.”
The Royal Household has also requested that churches toll their bells for an hour immediately before the Queen’s funeral on Monday September 19th, which will also be a bank holiday.
Today (Sunday), Mayor Cllr Lesley Millard will read the formal proclamation in the Town Council Chambers in Jaycroft Road at 4pm. Following the reading, the Mayor will lay a wreath at the flagpole in Burnham’s Old Station Approach while the Deputy Mayor will lay a wreath at the Community Green in Highbridge.
Meanwhile, local people have been laying flowers and signing books of condolences to pay their own personal tributes to Queen Elizabeth II.
In accordance with official flag protocol, the Union Flag and all other official flags were required to be raised to full mast on Saturday between the hours of 9am-10.30am and must remain at full mast until 1pm today (Sunday 11th September), at which time the Union and official flags will return to being flown at half-mast.
On Saturday, King Charles III paid tribute to the reign of the late Queen, “unequalled in its duration, its dedication and its devotion”, as he was formally declared the nation’s new monarch on Saturday.
During a poignant and sombre meeting of the Accession Council, the King spoke movingly about his mother and the grief that his family is experiencing, but said the “sympathy expressed by so many to my sister and brothers” had been the “greatest consolation”.
