As a special treat, Grandpa, Bob Cowley, then churchwarden, used to let us ring the bells, ‘donk’ and ‘clunk’. They made a great noise, if not very musically, but as their housing deteriorated, only one was rung, then neither.
When the bell housing became very unsafe and was taken  down for renewal, it was found from the bells’ inscription, that Thorley’s two bells were amongst the oldest in England.
A local rhyme says:
‘Shalfleet people, poor and simple
Sold their bells to build a steeple.’
And it appears that the bells were sold to the people of Thorley, even poorer, and in need of second hand bells.

Due to their historic value, they cannot be properly tuned, but once again, ‘donk’ and ‘clunk’ sound out through Thorley on Sunday mornings.  S. Cowley and S. McKelvey nee Cowley b 1979

Thorley church entrance and bell tower