What's bell ringing all about?
Bell ringing is a team activity that stimulates the brain and helps keep you fit ... it also makes a glorious sound! Many consider ringing to be their contribution to church life, others do it for the pure pleasure and the company it brings.
Ringers come from all walks of life and range in age from ten to those in their eighties.
"When I'm ringing I forget all the tensions and frustrations of the day. Even better: I couldn't wish for a nicer group of friends!"
Read on, or contact us and learn more about opportunities to ring near where you live.
Could I become a ringer?
"if you can ride a bicycle you can ring!"
Ringing is well within the capabilities of most people. The initial learning takes several weeks, after which you can begin to ring with the rest of the band. Most ringers practise once or twice a week and ring before or after church on Sunday.
"Being able to count is all the maths you'll need and you can become a very good ringer without knowing anything about music."
Why learn to ring?
- Friends around the world
- Lifelong learning experience
- Maintain a traditional skill
- A service to the church
- Team activity
- A great mental workout
- Opportunity to visit amazing places
Come and see
Listen for the bells at a church near you or send an email to learntoringc@cccbr.org.uk telling us where you live (town or village name; County and County Town names; and your full postcode) to find a tower in your area. Then go along and see what ringing is all about.
Beware! once you've got the bug, you'll find it hard to give up:
"I learnt to ring over forty years ago and I still get the same buzz that I did when I first started."
Change Ringing
The origins of change ringing lie in the sixteenth century when church bells began to be fitted with a full wheel. This gave ringers control of their bell, allowing sets of bells (rings) to be rung in continously changing patterns.
Music is created by altering the order in which the bells sound. This is done in defined sequences of changes called methods. Learning a few simple methods allows ringers to join in with other bands in towers around the world.
"One of the delights of ringing is the endless opportunity to learn new things."
