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Church bellringing, properly called full circle
ringing is a peculiarly English activity, for although bells are rung in
many parts of the world they are generally struck with a clapper on the
inside or outside of the bell without the bell moving significantly.
Alternatively some bells are swung to and fro in a way that has little
control but makes a merry clanging.
Full circle ringing involves swinging the whole bell
which may weigh over a ton through a circle until it is upside down and
then back again through a full circle until it is upside down again. The
clapper strikes the bell at precisely the same place and time on each
revolution and so the timing of the ringing can be controlled.
Learning to control the bell for this
type of ringing requires considerable dedication and expertise and once
this has been learnt then a set of bells (six, in our tower) can be rung
evenly.
After this then the order of ringing the bells can be
changed either by a caller in the tower instructing the ringers or by
the band of ringers following a preset sequence or ‘method’ that follows
a set pattern of changes.
There has been a band of ringers maintained in the
church for nearly ten years now after a lapse following the break up of
the previous group. A steady flow of learners have enjoyed the trials
and triumphs of progress through this process. To ring successfully
requires considerable amounts of regular practice and concentration with
the current group now moving towards some exciting developments in their
abilities following the weeks of trying to master bell control. As new
learners progress then the more experienced ones can support them with
consistent and even ringing so that the first steps of following call
changes can be mastered. Once this is done and the ringing becomes more
even the progress towards methods can be made, starting with simple ones
on only three bells. Eventually it is to be hoped that members of the
band stay long enough to be able to learn and manage longer methods on
six bells and even a quarter peal which may take up to two hours to
ring.
Being a ringer requires no more than average fitness
and being over 12, the rest can be taught. We currently have ringers
from the lowest age to members into retirement but they all work
together. Safety is of highest priority as moving such a heavy piece of
metal with one rope can be difficult and it is impressed on all ringers
that it can be a dangerous activity. The instructions as to how to
behave and respond to teaching ensure the activity is as safe as
possible.
There are a range of books available to learn from
and to practice the theory that can be bought or borrowed from the tower
captain. The first beginners book costs only 75p
The bells at Milborne St Andrew church consist of a
ring of six that are in a steel frame installed in 1967, 54feet above
the ringers on the ground floor. The bells are as follows:-
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