The Holy Week Big Clean!

Holy week is generally a quiet time in the bell tower, as ringing is suspended for the week, however this year there was sound coming from the bell tower all be it a strange sound...the sound of hoovering!
A small team of ringers took on the huge task of cleaning All Saint's mighty bell tower from top to bottom. Aaron Hall, Brian Laing, Claire Willetts and Janet Yeomans worked from 10am till 3:00pm making sure every part of the tower from the bell chamber to the ringing chamber was cleaned of dust and dirt which had built up over the last few years. The opportunity was also taken to carry out some much needed maintenance work including replacing a worn rope on the tenor bell as well as adjusting ropes of some of the other bells. Click here to see some photos from the cleaning day.

Brian's Model Bell

Brian Laing unveiled his lasted woodwork project for the tower...a working model of a bell in its frame. The model will be invaluable in teaching what happens when you ring a bell. This is now standing pride of place in the centre of the ringing chamber on the table built by Brian too. Click here to see Brian standing next to his creation.

Bells for the Light Dragoons

The ringers of All Saints rang prior to a special service conducted by the Rev Adrian Aubrey-Jones for the troops of Roberston Barracks prior to their deployment to Afghanistain in the coming weeks. The troops were presented with special wooden crosses which they will take with them on their tour.   The ringers rang from 1:30pm till the start of the service at 2:00pm.

The Drama of the Cracked Stay!

There was some drama at the practice night tonight as the stay on number 5 dropped out whilst it was being run by a new learner, Lee Fox. During the early stages of learning the new ringing learns to ring one  of the strokes at a time with the tutor keeping hold of the rope at all times. Whilst Lee was ringing the handstroke with Brian the stay dropped out (its not really supposed to do this!). Brian safely got the bell back down so the stay could be retrevied. Upon inspection we learnt that the stay had rotten through however it was impossible to see this on routine inspections. 

A New Practice at All Saints

A new monthly practice started at All Saints today. Ringers from towers in surrounding villages came together to focus on one specific method. This month the focus was Grandshire Doubles. It is hoped that this practice will become a regular fixture in the monthly calendar at All Saints.

Ring out the old and Ring in the New

The ringers of Swanton Morley took part in the age old tradition of ringing out the old Year and ringing in the New Year as friends and family watched on. The bells rung out for the last few minutes of 2011 before one by one standing, fading out along with the old year  leaving just the tenor to strike  12 on the stroke of midnight. To welcome the new year all 6 bells pealed out in joyful celebration some extremely well struck rounds and call changes. The band was 1. Mark Tweedie, 2. Sarah Seaman, 3. Claire Willetts, 4. Helen Watson, 5. Ted Conyers, 6. Aaron Hall. After ringing the band, along with their families descended the tower to watch the numerous fireworks being set off around the village. 

Ring out the Old and Ring in the New

The ringers of Swanton Morley took part in the age old tradition of ringing out the old Year and ringing in the New Year as friends and family watched on. The bells rung out for the last few minutes of 2011 before one by one standing, fading out along with the old year  leaving just the tenor to strike 12 on the stroke of midnight. To welcome the new year all 6 bells pealed out in joyful celebration some extremely well struck rounds and call changes. The band was 1. Mark Tweedie, 2. Sarah Seaman, 3. Claire Willettes, 4. Helen Watson, 5. Ted Conyers, 6. Aaron Hall. After ringing the band, along with their families descended the tower to watch the numerous fireworks being set off around the village.