May we introduce you to Church bell ringing?

You have here a real British folk art, for bells have been the voices of the Church almost ever since Christianity began, and the method of ringing as you find it now has been practiced for almost 400 years.  These voices, which come from our Cathedrals and Churches, may be those of small high-sounding bells weighing little more than a hundredweight up to monsters of several tonnes.  Our own tenor bell weighs in at 17cwt.

Ringing the changes

In the 17th century the practice of turning the bell full circle with rope and wheel to make it speak with its fullest tone was developed. From this evolves the art of not merely ringing a fixed pattern of notes, but of changing the order so that an almost infinite variety of different note patterns can be obtained. In any piece of ringing the order is never repeated, hence we really are 'ringing the changes'.

Why?

A ringer will find many reasons why he or she does it, but chiefly because it is a service to the Church, for every time we ring we are proclaiming that we speak from a living Church, that we are 'open for business'.  The ringer finds in the belfry a companionship, a sense of team spirit, a musical and rhythmic satisfaction, a useful form of exercise (though never really exhausting), a physical and intellectual challenge and probably many other rewards as well, though too numerous to mention here.  When a ringer visits any other town or village which has bells, he/she will find there a warm welcome and immediate friendship.

The tower

In 1775, the steeple of the old Alvaston Church fell, and a new tower was built. This tower stood with the old Church until 1856, when it was taken down and the present Church erected on the site at a cost of £2,200.  It is in the perpendicular style and consists of chancel, nave, north and south aisles and the Western tower. The tower is approximately 20m high, with a choir vestry at ground level and an organ at gallery level. The ringing chamber and clock cabinet are reached by ascending a spiral stairway in the North-east corner of the tower. The belfry is situated above the ringing chamber and contains a peal of six bells.  These are from the well-known foundry of Messrs. Taylor & Co. in Loughborough.

The bells and the clock were presented and dedicated on July 28th 1894, the oldest moving mechanical machinery in Alvaston!
 

Would you like to try?

You are more than welcome to come and have a go! You will find it is never too early or too late to start, for ringers include young and old, men and women, boys and girls. Sometimes a whole family can be found ringing together.  If your curiosity has been aroused, seek an introduction either before the Sunday service or on a practice night.  Full training is given to complete novices. Come along and see - you are not obliged to have a go straight away!

There is a call - the Church could use YOU - why don't you answer it?

For more information, contact Ian at bell-ringing@st-michael-and-all-angels.co.uk