The bells of St Peter’s Church will ring out on Sunday 23rd May for the first time this year, and as a peal of 6 bells in over a year!
The ringing starts at 9.50 am (ish), and goes on with gaps until 10.25.
Leader Alastair Simpson said,
“We’re only allowed 6 ringers, so we can only ring 6 bells, whilst we have 8 bells in the tower. The first ringing of all 8 bells will have to wait until (hopefully) June.
“I went up the tower last night to check the bells to make sure they were sound, and to raise them ready for Sunday morning’s session. After swinging up 2-and-a-half combined tons of bellmetal, my arms were quite wobbly, and my shoulders are stiff this morning. I haven’t rung this year, so it was quite a surprise to my muscles! The wind was blowing in through the louvres of the belfry, and the sound of it around the outside of the tower was quite spooky.”
KeeP 106 hopes to record the bells for posterity and so that those who can’t be nearby can hear them.
UPDATE: We have indeed recorded the bells and you can hear them and interviews with two of the ringers here: The bells of St Peter’s ring out after Covid-enforced silence
Picture below: view to the south-west from the top of the tower taken by Alastair Simpson
