For over 100 years this bell summoned the children of Kirkheaton to school. It was hung above the old Victorian building St John’s Infant School, now the home of the Community Centre, during the year 1883 after the foundation stone was laid on the 8th October 1882. It is thought the bell was struck externally by a hammer attached to the top and was operated via a rope from inside the building.

For over 50 years it languished in the cellars of the building, forgotten and gathering dust. As part of the 140 years celebration of the the construction of the building it was ‘brought out of oblivion’ and temporarily displayed on the top of a cupboard in the corridor!
Recently it has been provided with a new permanent home  and is on display in the main hall underneath the tower  where it once hung over 100 years ago. Our thanks go to volunteer  Mark Berry who kindly installed it.