AN original market bell dating back to Victorian times has been reinstalled after a restoration.
The bell dates back to 1851 when it was installed at the then newly-built Market Hall in Durham.
It was rung at 10.30pm each Saturday, to give traders and customers 30 minutes notice that the market would close at 11pm.
The bell has recently been refurbished, on behalf of Durham Rotary Club, by local historian Frank Davison, with expert advice from bell historian Howard Smith.
The refurbished bell now hangs above the mezzanine level of the Market Hall near the top of the stairs leading to Café Cenno.
Colin Wilkes, Managing Director of Durham Markets, commented: "We’d like to say a huge thank you to Durham Rotary Club and especially to Frank and Howard for bringing this bell back to its former glory.
"It’s great to have it hanging again in the Market Hall, reminding us of the wonderful part this building and the markets have played in Durham’s life for over 160 years, although we are going to have to work on its chime which at the moment is more of a thud."
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