eight bells, perhaps   ..

I have literally never thought of that. . .but you are absolutely right! I don't ever remember seeing a clock in a church. And the bells, for the most part, have been dismantled or hang idle. Every now and again I'll hear some and it reminds me of my childhood when the church clocks always struck on every hour and once on half-past.

we still have the bells from big ben  ..

Big Ben is a very distinct sound that once heard isn't forgotten.