OS: SP164349
Blockley, St Peter & St Paul
The Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul is in the middle of this pretty Cotswold village of Blockley. Parking is limited.
The ringing room is reached by climbing the 24 steps of a spiral staircase. The entrance to the staircase is inside the tower and entrance to the tower was through doors in the west face. The stone steps are very worn and are covered with wood. The room is quite big with a single large window. There is plenty of seating for those not ringing the 8 bells.
2011-05-07 [ expand ]
I visited for the first time on Saturday 7th May 2011 to join the Four Shires Guild of Bell Ringers for their weekly practice session.
Since it was a Saturday my wife and I enjoyed a very pleasant meal at the nearby Great Western Arms where I left my car while ringing.
I started by ringing up bell #5. I followed this with a touch of Grandsire Triples, I've only recently learned this so am pleased when I get to the end without any problems. Next it was a touch of Stedman Triples which I am currently learning. While pleased to get through several bobs without losing track I went wrong right at the end when I lost track of which way to go in following a bob when I was double dodging 4/5 up -- only half a dozen blows from the end! Later, I rang a plain course of Stedman Triples which went just fine.
2019-09-14 [ expand ]
I returned on Saturday 14th September 2019 as the 5th, and last, tower [1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th] of the Welford on Avon ringers 2019 Tour.
Since my last visit the tower has been augmented to 10 bells. We were a bit thin on the ground to ring the 10 but we persevered. I rang up bell #7. I rang bell #6 for Rounds & Call Changes, the tenor covering for Grandsire and bell #5 for Plain Hunt. Finally, back to bell #7 to ring it down.
The Bells
On my first visit the tower had a ring of 8 bells with a tenor weighing 16-0-27 in F. Earlier in the 2019 the augmentation to 10 bells was completed.
Dove's Guide includes details of the bells at St Peter & St Paul. There is some additional information provided by The Gloucester & Bristol Diocesan Association of Church Bell Ringers.
