The steeplejack’s report on the condition of the spire has been received and does not make pleasant reading. A lot of money will have to be spent to renovate and repair the damage caused by the combination of air pollution and the years of weathering at such a height. The stonework of the spire takes the full impact of our weather conditions. Once work commences, ringing may have to be somewhat curtailed to allow the mortar to harden without any movement. It has been nearly 50 years since the spire was last thoroughly inspected and repaired.

Having mentioned in an earlier Gossip on the use of bells for secular purposes, one of Grapevine readers enquired as to whether St. Mary’s bells had ever been used for interesting and differing reasons. The answer is "yes". As well as the usual "Harvest Bell" – indicating the beginning of the harvest season, and the "Seed Sowing" bell, rung at day break during seed time to call the labourers to work, there was a "Bride’s Bell". This was rung on the morning after a wedding, "in order to wake the bride to commence her household duties".

A very unhappy character named Thomas Nashe from Bath, in 1813 left £50 to the Bath Abbey ringers on condition they rang a half muffled peal on May 14^th each year, this being the anniversary of his wedding and on the day of his death "to ring the bells merrily, in commemoration of my happy release from domestic tyranny and wretchedness". Strong stuff!!

Remembrance Sunday for this year was actually on November 11^th – Armistice Day. Regular readers of Gossip know that half muffled ringing is always used on this particular Sunday, and the sound is produced by strapping a piece of leather, called a muffle, to one side of each of the bell’s clapper. It produces quite a mournful but majestic sound.

During September, October and November some of our ringers travelled to various parts of the world – America, Norway, France, Spain, South Africa, Canada Australia and Singapore – but we still kept the bells ringing for Sunday Services, together with our usual Sunday evening quarter peals.

By the time you read this edition of Gossip we hope to have successfully attempted our Advent Peal, lasting about 3 hours. This has become a tradition at St. Mary’s and it has often coincided with the switching on of the town’s Christmas Lights. Saturday morning, December 1^st is/was (according to when you are reading this) the time and date. The attempted method – Bristol Surprise Major. What better way of enjoying Christmas shopping than with bells ringing and the Christmas decorations?

December seems to be the month of quizzes. These are being held for both the Diocesan Guild and the local Branch, so good luck to our belfry teams.

With just over 3 weeks to Christmas, we enter what is usually one of the busiest Church Seasons for ringing. For the Carols by Candlelight service, it is traditional to attempt two quarter peals, one before and the second after the service.

On Christmas Eve we again attempt a quarter, but not too late, unlike some churches where the bells are rung for the Midnight Mass. Early ringing on Christmas morning stirs many people in their beds. What better way to proclaim the Birth of Christ to the people of Rushden. That is one of the purposes of the ringing of bells.

And so, from Tintinnabulum and all the ringers, we extend our warmest greetings and wish all our Gossip readers a Very Happy and Joyous Christmas.