As Noise Action Week approaches – a contribution to the debate as to when sound becomes noise, and the appropriate application of nuisance law has arisen in a Somerset village. Here the church clock has been silenced by a nuisance order, following complaint from new residents in the village – while established residents are reported to consider the chimes a part of village life. This is not the first time that a case has shown that expectation of quiet in the countryside isn’t realised for those moving from urban areas. Towns and cities, where buildings shield noise, can often be quieter than less densely developed areas where the noise from roads, activity on the land and animals and birds can carry long distances. Noise Action Week is an opportunity not just to promote solutions to noise problems, but also to raise awareness of the part sound plays in our every day lives – and to consider the soundscape that surrounds us, and what is and isn’t unacceptable noise in the context of our culture and lifestyles.