Contrary to popular belief the majority of church bells in this country are rung by humans, not by machine. Ringing as we know it began in the late 1600s and so has a rich history spanning over 300 years. Ringing is a welcoming fellowship and is practiced across the English-speaking world.
Music has played a key role in the life of the Church since the earliest times, and the bells and ringers of St. Mary’s continue this tradition today. We ring the bells to call the faithful to worship and to mark some of our lives’ most important events including Births, Deaths and Marriages. Our ringers also take part in moments of national importance, such as Remembrance Sunday and the passing of HLM Queen Elizabeth II.
We ring our bells in the “Full-Circle” style, meaning that one ringer is on the end of each rope and can spin the bell through a full 360° at each stroke. This gives us the fullest and richest music and allows us control over the point at which each bell makes a sound. With careful handling of each bell, and under the eye of the conductor, our band of ringers can produce over 40,000 unique combinations.
Each tower has its own band of ringers, who elect a Captain and other officers to lead them each year. We are part of the Church and work closely with the Parish to serve our community and are ultimately answerable to the Incumbent. Ringing is organised into Diocesan or County Associations or Guilds, and the national body is the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers (CCCBR). Here at St. Mary’s we are part of the Andover District of the Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers (The W&P).
There are eight bells hung in our tower for full circle ringing, along with a ninth bell that can be chimed from the ground floor. The original five bells were cast in 1758 and hung in the medieval church of St. Mary that once stood on this site, before the present building was erected by the Victorians. Over the years more bells have been added to give a complete octave. The lightest bell is called the Treble and gives the highest note, whilst the heaviest bell is called the Tenor and speaks with the deepest voice.
The bells are tuned to the key of E and weigh between one-quarter and three-quarters of a tonne. Fortunately, because of the way the bells are hung, the ringers don’t have to strain to pull all of that weight and gravity does most of the work for us! With the support of the Parish and the assistance of Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild, we recently undertook much-needed repairs and maintenance on the bells, and they are now in fine condition after some years of neglect.
Unlike some other forms of music, ringing has no formal qualifications or exams you must pass in order to be a “proper” ringer. We won’t make you learn scales or read music, and there is no uniform to buy or expensive equipment to purchase; the cost of membership is less than £20 a year. You are free to learn the basics and stay in your comfort zone, or to push yourself to ring the most complicated things you can at a national level.
We are always keen to have new recruits, especially now as we rebuild our strength after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anyone who is interested in having a go is most welcome. We are particularly keen to recruit from the congregation to ensure the future of the band and guarantee that the bells will ring for many years yet.
As long as you’re strong enough to hold the rope, and can develop a sense of rhythm and timing then you have the potential to be a world-class ringer. Some of our band members learned when they were young children, others started whilst at university and others still took up ringing as a new challenge in later life.
We welcome ringers of all faiths and none, from any background. Ringing can often involve climbing stairs or access to ancient buildings, which can present some barriers to potential ringers. However, so long as you are interested in ringing and want to take part, we will find a way to welcome you in.
From time to time throughout the year we may run recruitment days or special practices, these will be advertised on the Parish events page.
If you would like to find out more you are most welcome to visit us at one of our practice nights, held each Tuesday from 7.30pm, with doors locked at 7.45pm. Click the button below to arrange a visit.
As part of the parish of Andover we are committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, as well as keeping all of our members safe whilst engaged in ringing. At present we ask that any youngsters or vulnerable adults who come to us do so in the company of a parent or guardian.
Ringing is a safe activity when done properly. Our Captain is a trained instructor and has worked with the Parish to carry out risk assessments of our practice space and equipment. We are always happy to hear suggestions to improve our safety.
Details of our policies can be found below
Check out these websites to learn more about bells and ringing!
