Another good and valued Guild 12-bell practice was held at the Cathedral on the 7th. Many thanks to Hayley for allowing these opportunities to continue and working hard with the Cathedral authorities to make them happen.
Valentines Day saw a big inspection on the bells front! Sarah and I with my Mum and Dad ventured to London for a tour of the Elizabeth Tower known as Big Ben. What an experience! The tour includes all aspects of the tower interior including various rooms on the ascent, the mechanism room, bell chamber and behind the great clock faces. We were in the belfry at 1600hrs to hear the quarters strike the Westminster chimes before the unusual E tone of Big Ben on the hour. Big Ben weighs 13tons, 10cwt, 3qrts, 15lbs and is 8 feet 10 inches in diameter.
The Elizabeth Tower which houses Big Ben
I see that Lanhydrock tower made the front cover of the Ringing World this month!
The front page of RW5938
The Northern District had an improvers practice at Launcells on the 15th and I hear that the District Ringing Master Rob C was keeping them all up to scratch!
On the 22nd another TDGR Youth practice took place at St. Stephen in Brannel with many youngsters coming from most of our Districts to ring together. (My orange juice making is not to everyone’s taste hey Clare B?!).
On the 26th the Eastern District held their practice across the Tamar at Tavistock. It was pleasing to see some new faces, and friends from other Districts too, having a go at ringing on 10 bells – the ringing chamber was packed. We had the bells for 1 hour 45 minutes, and in my roll as Eastern District Ringing Master, I was able to give everyone a good few opportunities to ring. We had everything from rounds, call changes and even a plain course of Bob Triples with 9, 8, 10 cover.
As I mentioned last month, Matthew R re-discovered the original St. Columb 500 Call Changes and he wrote a very informative article which was duly published in the Ringing World.
Bob Woods has reached 60 years of ringing and he marked this occasion with 60 call changes rung at Paignton, Devon (where he learnt to ring). Well done Bob.
Paignton Parish Church – 8, 21-3-5 in E
Down in the West Bob and his team of instructors and helpers have completed another intake of recruits at the Wendron Winter Ringing School. The new ringers will now go back to their respective towers to continue their ringing journey. Well done to all and I hope to catch up with you as soon as I can.
Simon Trevevan from Dorset contacted me with regard to Call Change Peals and how to call on higher numbers. In Dorset he has a little band who meet to ring call changes. In March 2024 he visited Lanhydrock and rang a call change peal (Peal No.1 – A D Elliott & J A Purdey), and he conducted his first of the same composition at Longburton, Dorset in April 2024. His band are now moving on to 8-bell ringing and we have had various discussions about that. It is great for me, and our exercise down ‘ere in Cornwall, to know that the wider country is trying our discipline. Crack on Simon!
Ringing Down ‘Ere Booklet
Once more the District AGM season is upon us, so please, where you can, attend these events so that you are familiar with what’s going on in your District and in the Guild as a whole. Thank you.
- Central – Saturday 8th March, Kenwyn
- Northern – Saturday 15th March, St Tudy
- Eastern – Saturday 29th March, Liskeard
- Western – Saturday 26th April, Towednack
Keep ringing!
Owen Borlase
Guild President
