Belfry Gossip
Church Warden Improves: When anyone is improving and showing signs of promise, it should be recorded. Since rejoining the ranks of Rushden ringers, John has faithfully rung for Sunday Service and attended practice evenings. Equally he has told the rest of the ringers, he could only manage "this and that". Knowing there was latent talent waiting to be tapped, encouragement won the day and building on his initial training, he firstly mastered the tenor (heaviest) bell, followed by the first steps to change ringing – and what’s more he was delighted. We now await further progress so he can tell all and sundry!
Peal Boards: These boards, recording some of the peals rung at St. Mary’s, could be classified as historical records. It is fascinating, particularly on our ringing travels, to read the information included on the different forms of boards in the various towers. Mostly are made of different varieties of wood but occasionally tablets of stone are mounted on the walls. In St. Mary’s ringing chamber, the first board recalling a peal, dates back to 1953, while in some towers, records of peals rung in the 18th century are to be found. The first peal on our own bells (6 at the time) dates back to February 2nd 1885 but was not recorded on a board. No further peals were successfully attempted until after the bells were augmented to eight in 1953 – and this was naturally recorded. Since then many peals have been rung on the bells but the boards only record some of the more memorable or significant attempts. These have included methods rung for the first time, national events, including the weddings, anniversaries and deaths of royalty, or other personal achievements. Our last two peal boards were fixed to the wall of the ringing chamber in July. Balancing on a ladder while endeavouring to align them with existing boards is no mean task.
John Betjeman: August 26th 2006 commemorates the centenary of the birth of John Betjeman, who died in 1984. He was an English poet, writer and broadcaster who once described himself in "Who’s Who" as a "poet and hack". Having failed his degree at Oxford (where C.S.Lewis was his tutor and they didn’t hit it off) his early ability in writing poetry and his love and interest in architecture, supported him throughout his life. He wrote about churches and bells and being associated with Christ Church Hampstead, the recent set of 8 bells hung in the church in 2005, contains the Betjeman bell given in memory of the writer. Recently one of our ringers successfully attempted a peal at that church. His blank verse autobiography entitled "Summoned by Bells" describes his life from his early memories of a middle class home in Edwardian Hampstead, to his premature departure from Oxford.
Archbishop Has a Go: York Minster ringers welcomed their own archbishop to their grand ringing chamber in May. Dr. John Santamu expressed a wish to visit one of their practice evenings. Being a hands-on person, he was keen to have a go at ringing himself, so the Ringing Master gave him a bell handling session. To commemorate his visit, the archbishop was presented with framed details of the peal rung at the Minster to welcome him to York last September.
Next Month’s Gossip: Our 2006 ringing outing, the annual barbecue, the Chelmsford Cathedral ringers’ peal attempt at St. Mary’s, results of the Striking Competition and the ringers’ holiday.
Tintinnabulum
www.stmarysringers.org.uk
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