Belfry Gossip for March 15th
Not too far from my home there is a
milestone which reads "Bedford 11 miles". In the days before
milometers and sat nav it must have been very useful, a reassurance
to travellers of progress made. Seeing it the other day got me
thinking about milestones in life, like baptism and marriage, and ,
of course , milestones in bell ringing. One of the (many) good
things about bell ringing is that there is always another milestone,
always something else to achieve, no matter how long a time , or short
a time, you have been ringing.
Our "learners", who have now been
with us for over a year, have been passing a number of milestones both
large and small. On February 8th Tom passed a significant
one when he rang the treble to his first quarter peal (1260 changes
or about three quarters of an hour ringing non-stop) and at his first
attempt. Both are significant achievements which many people who have
been ringers for years have not attained.
Linda has now progressed from ringing
rounds (like an ascending scale) and call changes into the foothills
of change -ringing and has been ringing the treble to two methods rejoicing
in the names "Barstow" and "Bistow". If the latter name
has you wallowing in nostalgia, sighing , "Ah, Bisto", and reminiscing
about gravy adverts on the side of buses than you are in good company,
at least in that of Tinntinabulum and his Third Reserve!
Hannah is also doing well and, with
a little help from her friend, Alan Marks, she can ring a bell to rounds
and call changes, pretty good for a little girl who needs to stand on
two boxes to reach the rope.
You may have seen a film called "The
Accidental Tourist". Peter is what you might call "The Accidental
Campanologist"! He came originally to accompany and watch Tom,
his grandson, but he has been cajoled/entreated/persuaded/ encouraged
(I am not sure which verb he would choose) into learning himself, and
a good job he is making of it, being able to ring in rounds unaided.
Other achievements this month are three
quarter-peals on six bell. They were very traditional methods,
being Kent and Oxford Treble Bob and St Clements and Plain Bob.
Incidentally the "Bob" has nothing to do with a Whitworth of that
name. In the recent past we rang quarter peals on eight bells,
so if there are any eight -bell ringers out there, we would like to
hear from you.
Moving further afield, the Northants
Midweekers ventured along the A14 to Welford, a pleasant ring of eight
which, thankfully for us older ringers, was on the ground floor.
The ringing chamber was behind the organ, which boasted a magnificent
set of highly decorated pipes, which I believe are a recent renovation.
Looking forward to Easter, our ringing
will reflect the emotions of the day when we ring half-muffled on Good
Friday (the half muffling creates an appropriately sombre sound) and
with the bells brightly open on Easter morning.
We wish you all a happy Easter.
Third Reserve Tinntinabulum