Silence from the Bell Tower?

Do you hear the bells of St John’s ringing on a Sunday morning? We usually stop at 10.25am so maybe you are still walking up the drive at that time! Have you ever tried counting to hear how many bells are ringing?

It can be tricky to hear how many bells are ringing, but the most you would hear at St John’s is our complete eight. Sadly it is getting more unusual that we have enough ringers to ring the complete octave, it is more likely to be six, even four or five. Unfortunately the bells might even be silent on a Sunday morning.

Ringing at St John's on a recent Sunday morning - note two ropes with nobody to ring those bells.

I do not want this situation to continue, and am very keen to teach more people the wonderful art of church bellringing. Anyone over about 10 would be welcome to give it a try – you do not need to be strong or musical, but it is a commitment and can be frustratingly difficult. Although some of us are church members, others are not, and there is no obligation to attend church services. Please come and see what it is all about, any Sunday morning or Thursday evening.

I learnt to ring at Chelsfield in Kent in 1970. There were six bells in that church when I lived there, although they were augmented to eight in 2009. Five of the bells are dated 1672 – I find that quite incredible. I was a student in Birmingham in the 1970s and rang regularly at Edgbaston with the University ringers, as well as in the city centre at Birmingham Cathedral and St Martin in the Bull Ring. St John’s Redhill has been my “home tower” since 1989 and although I take part in local Surrey Association events, I regularly return to Kent to ring with many old friends, and my daughter and son-in-law.

Other members of our band learnt to ring at Horsham, Godstone, Caversham and more locally; it really is a skill that can be practised in any part of the country.

Anne Rueff