Belfry Gossip
Annual Outing: With rain forecast for the days before and after our scheduled outing day, we all ventured into the picturesque countryside of mid-Buckinghamshire, with the Chilterns always in the background. Travelling in individual cars, we met at Stewkley for a 10am. start and nearly an hour’s ring. St. Michael and All Angels’ church is one of the best examples of Norman architecture throughout the country. Wherever the eye scanned, the Norman style stood out, particularly the internal arches. The large ringing chamber was in distinct contrast to some of the later towers we visited. We were complimented on our ringing.
Onto Wingrave, where we discovered this was one of the first churches to be granted money from the Millennium Fund to overall the bells. The small ringing chamber limited the number of ringers it could hold, but we were told, by a formidable local lady, where to sit or squeeze into some corner.
Lunch beckoned and as is customary on our outings, we found various hostelries serving reasonably priced lunches. The formidable lady informed us the pub opposite the church had a good chef and was very popular – so some made for the doorway. Others moved onto Aston Clinton, where two pubs had been recommended and this was to be the church for our first ring of the afternoon. Morris women entertained us with some traditional dancing before they moved onto the local school fete. Good use was made of the delightful 10 bells, particularly as some of the group are not used to the extra bells. Jars of jam and marmalade were purchased at the church with the money going to the church upkeep. Two non-ringing ladies did a little scrumping and the plums were delicious at teatime.
Stoke Mandeville is more famous for Jimmy Saville and the hospital, for which he has raised thousands of pounds. With an even smaller ringing chamber, some made use of the churchyard seat and listened to the ringing outside, while others struggled with the bells.
The ring before tea at Quainton, was the only ground floor ringing chamber, and we were overlooked by some ancient statues. Some had toes and fingers missing and suggestions were made that frustrated ringers had caused the disfigurement. Here we were asked that our final ring should be of a good standard – had our reputation spread to Buckinghamshire? On Tuesday mornings this church also acted as a doctor’s surgery. Seated on garden chairs, some of the party brewed up and enjoyed a picnic tea on the village green.
We finally made our way to the last tower of the day at St. Laurence, Winslow. The beautifully kept church, with equally attractive kneelers had no ringers. We soon discovered the reason! Weary bodies bade our farewells and made for home. For some, the sight of many of the hot air balloons from the Northampton Balloon Festival, landing at Olney, proved a fitting ending to a most successful annual outing.
Annual Dinner: This year, two of our "annuals" came within a few days of each other. Ringing at Arthingworth village church preceded the dinner at the Bull’s Head. A shortage of ringers enabled us to try some rather interesting unfamiliar methods.
Congratulations to Matthew and Kelly on their wedding at the end of August. Both the groom and his dad had a ring prior to the service, managing to overcome the cumbersome wedding attire. The newly weds would like to thank both the ringers and the choir for helping to make the day so special.
Success at Last! After 52 years of ringing, our captain conducted his first quarter peal - Yorkshire Surprise Major. Is this a record? The quarter was rung to celebrate Matthew and Kelly’s wedding.
Infamous Ringers: What do John Bunyan and Jo Brand, the comedienne, have in common? Not much. However, they were both ringers. In a recent interview in the Times, Jo Brand explained how she was brought up in an idyllic village in the Weald of Kent. She rang at Benenden village church, belonged to Brownies and attended the local Primary School. All this, she explains, before the rot set in.
Meg Boatright: At the time of compiling "Gossip", we have learned that at the beginning of October, Meg, who has been our Chairman for many years, is leaving Rushden for Lytham St. Anne’s. More on that, later.