We have an active group of Church Bellringers regularly ringing for Sunday Services. We currently ring on Sundays before the 10.30am or after the 9.15am, check the website for service times. We also ring from 4 o’clock for evensong but when we can, we make this a quarter peal. If we’re successful, we dedicate this more notable ringing to something special, it can be anything from a national or local event to a celebration of a birthday or other personal occasion. (Have something in mind for a dedication? Give us a shout 😊.)
We have a practice night on Tuesdays between 7.30pm and 9.00pm except in Holy Week and you’re welcome to join us. We also ring for special services like weddings, Remembrance Day, New Years Eve, Christmas Midnight Mass, Eastertide and more.
Want to know more?
We’re always keen to share our passion for ringing and the fun we have, with new recruits! It is a team activity and requires those taking part to have one bell per person. Our Ringers come from all walks of life in the community. Once you have mastered the bell and ability to be confident within the art, you become welcomed in many of the active towers throughout the UK and the world! A readymade friendship group wherever you go!
We pass on the art of bellringing through a hands-on approach. To learn the very basics of this age-old pastime can take between 10 and 16 hours. Near enough all people can learn, if they are fit enough to climb the 50+ steps to the ringing room and have the stature to physically control the bell rope. We get younger members from around the first year of secondary school through to those with time to enjoy life and try a new activity.
Try this link to the Central Council of Bell Ringers Site for more information:-
Social Activities
Each year we organise social activities which include a Holy Week gathering, a Ringers Ramble, an Annual Dinner and a Ringing Outing, when we take a day together to go and ring at other towers around the country.
We’re also affiliated to the St Martin’s Guild of Church Bell Ringers and their website is worth a look too:- https://stmartinsguild.org/
Our Bells
We are very lucky to have a ring of 12 bells at St Alphege, a highly regarded ring of historic bells. We have an additional 13th bell in a note that gives us flexibility when ringing on smaller numbers. The combination of bells that we have means that parts of musical octaves can be created through the use of 6, 8, 10 or all 12 bells and we also have the option of lighter 6 and 8 bell combinations. You can see the details of our bells here:-
https://dove.cccbr.org.uk/detail.php?tower=11354
If you’d like any further information, want to come and visit us or think you might want to learn to ring, please contact Sand Cooper via sand.cooper@outlook.com . You’ll be made most welcome, we love seeing visitors and better still, making new friends.