If ever there was a season for the ringing of bells, this is it. The bellringers of this constituency are a keen and busy bunch. Earlier this year I visited the Willingale bellringers, who have a high-tech bell system which means they can practice their peals, without disturbing the neighbours – all you can hear from outside when the practice sessions are in place, is a slight clacking from the bell tower.
For the campanologists of St Thomas’s in Brentwood, the old-fashioned practising is maintained, although the bells can be muffled as needed. I spent a fascinating evening with the bellringing team a few weeks ago, climbing up the steep and narrow spiral stairs to the first floor where the mysteries of the bells were explained to me by Chris Bailey and Beth Johnson.
It’s a strangely intimate atmosphere in the bell tower – a dozen or so people gathered in a small room which is lined with wooden plaques celebrating the peals which have been rung from the tower over the years. I’ve always said our local churches are living history books, and in the St Thomas’ tower, I could see “a peal of Plan Bob major 5024 changes in 3 hours 2 minutes” was run to celebrate the visit of HM the Late Queen and Prince Philip to Brentwood in 1957.
Having had a short lesson in bellringing from Beth, I had new respect for those who could last the course for more than three hours. I will certainly listen to the bells of our churches with more care when I hear them ringing out, be it on Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, or any celebration in the future.
I hope the bells ring in health and happiness to you and yours for the New Year. All good wishes for 2024.
