About the bells continued
Although the tower is the most recent part of the main building it is also the least stable and has had to be periodically strengthened. In the late 1950s cracks were discovered in the walls and as a result bell ringing was declared unsafe, ceasing in 1959. Forty years later, a millennium project was instituted to repair the tower so that the bells could be rung once more. As part of this work, the tower was reinforced with a concrete ring beam and the refurbished bells were rehung in a new frame. The work was completed in December 2000 and at midnight on New Year's Eve the arrival of 2001 was marked by a commemorative peal of the newly-restored bells.
In order to make sufficient room in the ringing chamber, the staircase from the vestry was replaced with a spiral staircase. During this work, two ancient graves, each containing a skeleton, were discovered beneath the vestry floor; they were left undisturbed.
Also as part of the millennium project, the clock was overhauled, an electric winding mechanism fitted and the clock faces repainted and regilded. The refurbished bells and clock were rededicated by the Bishop of Reading on 7th January 2001.