Bell Ringing
I took up bell ringing (campanology) in March 2004. Campanology is a fairly broad term, more specifically I took up the peculiarly English art of change ringing that has been practised in England for more than 400 years, and more recently in other countries around the world. In the vast majority of cases a "Ring of bells" (or "peal of bells") is hung in a Church tower. I started out at my local village church St. James the Great in Harvington.
The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers (CCCBR) is the representative body for all of us who ring bells in the English tradition.
Towers visited
TowersRinging tours
2004 Saturday 9th October
2006 Saturday 1st April
2007 Saturday 19th May
2008 Saturday 17th May
2008 Saturday 5th July
2008 Saturday 20th September
Call changes and Method ringing
While learning to ring I have decided to try and record some of the stages I have gone through and describe some of what I have learn't as I learn it. I hope that this is of help to others treading a similar path.
If there was no way to change the order in which the bells strike then listening to bells would be monotonous and ringing them would be equally monotonous. There are two ways that I am aware of that are used to change the sequence, Call changes and Method ringing.
Milestones
Three years after starting to ring I felt that my bell handling was good enough to start visiting other towers. My first visit was to nearby village church St Lawrence in Bidford on Avon. This was the first of many visits and it soon became apparent that there was a lot more to learn beyond Plain Hunt and Call changes.
On Tuesday 25th February 2009, almost exactly 5 years from when I started ringing, I managed my first Quarter Peal.
After 2 years in which I have received a lot of help and guidance from people is various nearby towers I felt it was time to step up a gear so attended the 2009 Hereford Ringing Course.
In October 2009 I was elected a member of the WDCRA Southern Branch Committee, I'm not sure what I have let myself in for. I also help maintain the Four Shires Guild of Bell Ringers web site.