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On Saturday 7 August the Troyte Ringing Centre is holding a Fund Raising Event in Bampton with the aim of raising at least £500 for Help The Heroes. People are being invited to select a half hour period during the day and to find sponsors who will make donations so that the Bampton bells will either ring or be silent during that half hour.
So those who like to hear Bampton bells ringing have the opportunity of raising funds so that they ring during the day, and those who dislike the sound of church bells have the opportunity of raising funds to have a period of silence during the day.
We will keep you informed of progress. Come and visit Bampton during Saturday 7 August, have a cup of tea or coffee and a biscuit or a piece of cake and see how we are doing.
I'm sure we can all think of many different ways to spend a sunny Bank Holiday Monday, but a plan had been hatched a few months ago and the challenge was set to ring three peals in a day - at three different stages...! Somehow, I still don't remember who came up with the idea - but think it was definitely conceived in the pub!
The original plan was to ring the Stedman family (from Doubles to Caters in a day), but with so many other things taking local ringers to all corners of the UK for a Bank Holiday break it was decided to ring something slightly 'safer' instead! Six ringers agreed to ring in all three, so we had the nucleus of the band pretty quickly and the plan was hatched!
Composers were dispatched to produce a special length (at rather short notice) so that we could ring something special for the Diamond wedding anniversary of Claude and Joyce of Littleham, and with some nice bells and company we met at Huntsham at 9.45!!
Our 5060 produced some raised eyebrows and giggles from most of the band when one of the ringers realised that they had made 3rds at the single in consecutive leads for what seemed like ages - but was relieved to make it to 4ths place bell eventually! But the rest of the day went without a hitch, including a picnic in the church yard at Thorverton - although I understand a few of the six that rang in all three were a little sore on the Tuesday!!
Well done all - what to do with the Bank Holiday next year?
GUILD OF DEVONSHIRE RINGERS
HUNTSHAM, Devon, All Saints
Mon May 31 2010 2h 47 (8)
5060 Cambridge S Major
Comp. R D S Brown
1 Paul J Pascoe (C)
2 Lesley A Knipe
3 Jeffrey Knipe
4 Alison C Waterson
5 Michael Hatchett
6 Jonathan H Potter
7 Robert D S Brown
8 Thomas J Waterson
Rung as a Diamond Wedding compliment to Claude & Joyce Nicholls of Littleham.
750th Peal: 3.
GUILD OF DEVONSHIRE RINGERS
THORVERTON, Devon, St Thomas of Canterbury
Mon May 31 2010 2h 57 (15)
5040 Cambridge S Royal
Comp. R Bailey
1 Paul J Pascoe (C)
2 Mervyn C Way
3 Lesley A Knipe
4 Susan D Sparling
5 Jonathan H Potter
6 Alison C Waterson
7 Jeffrey Knipe
8 Robert D S Brown
9 Thomas J Waterson
10 Pauline Champion
GUILD OF DEVONSHIRE RINGERS
THORVERTON, Devon, St Thomas of
Canterbury
Mon May 31 2010 2h 24 (5)
5040 Cambridge S Minor
(1 x 720, 2 x 2160)
1 Lesley A Knipe
2 Robert D S Brown
3 Jonathan H Potter
4 Jeffrey Knipe
5 Thomas J Waterson
6 Paul J Pascoe (C)
Rung on the Whitechapel 6.
100th Peal: 5.
First '3 Peals in a day': 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.
Paul Pascoe
Reproduced from RINGING ROUND DEVON
On 1st May 2010, five intrepid improving bellringers from Newton Abbot, Bampton and Tiverton gathered at The Troyte Ringing Centre in picturesque Huntsham to learn the finer points of ringing Plain Bob Doubles on an inside bell. Under the patient guidance of Mike Hatchett and many supportive helpers we were all able to learn our chosen method as the observation bell changed with each attempt to keep us on our toes. To reward us for our efforts we were treated to a wonderful lunch provided by Pat Hatchett, who managed to lay on a sumptuous spread and still fulfil her role as a helpful expert ringer.
Our grateful thanks go to all the helpers, who must find it very tedious ringing the same method over and over so that learners can sort their bobs from their plain hunting, but hopefully, we can ring Bob Doubles inside with confidence in our own towers.
Margaret Cadogan,
St Peter’s Church Tiverton
Reproduced from RINGING ROUND DEVON
On Saturday 12th June five of us went plain hunting at Huntsham: Libby Ford, Sue Partridge, Lesley Walker and Eve Grosse from the Troyte Ringing Centre and Gordon Milne from Uffculme.
Mike Hatchett was there of course, to teach us, Pat to mother us, and a team of patient and generous helpers to ring with us: Sheila Scofield, Leslie Boyce, Charlotte Boyce, Richard Shere and Dermot Elworthy.
Mike explained the intricacies of plain hunting on three bells and then Libby pluckily went first, while the rest of us watched intently from the bench silently counting, lips moving , like a row of baby birds. Then on we went to 4 bells, 5 bells and a plain course of plain bob doubles. We were forging ahead, the mental confusion was clearing and in varying degrees we ‘got it’ and we ‘did it’.
In no time at all it was one o’clock, and down below Pat was busy with cheese and cold cuts, salad and crisps, crusty baps and Muller corners. We even had a party pack to take home; a workbook with dots to join, grids to fill in and crayoning to do.
Then out we went into the sunshine of a perfect afternoon for the Huntsham Church Fete.
Sue, Lesley and Gordon at the Troyte Ringing Centre
Eve Grosse
Reproduced from RINGING ROUND DEVON
A warm welcome awaited those attending the Reverse Canterbury training morning at the Troyte Ringing Centre, Huntsham. Coffee and biscuits were served by Pat and Mike Hatchett to learners, Carla Dawe, Libby Ford, Chris Bolt, Chris Shere and Ann Barrow and helpers, Sheila Scofield, Leslie Boyce, Matthew Weighell, Richard Shere and Charlotte Boyce.
Each learner was able to make good progress with individual instruction from Mike Hatchett and a good team around them. There was time for everyone to get plenty of ringing practise and to watch and count the way around while sitting out. We are very grateful to helpers who gave up their time to make this a useful morning, to Mike Hatchett for his continued enthusiasm and to Pat Hatchett who prepared a delicious lunch.
Ann Barrow
Reproduced from RINGING ROUND DEVON
Being a novice ringer of 10 months and inexperienced of other bells I approached the day with a little trepidation. Clive, having more experience and youth on his side seemed to take the day in his stride!
However, everybody was treated equally, given assistance and guidance if needed and there was a good mix of called changes and method ringing. It was great to experience ringing with others and listening to their “classy” ringing, visiting other towers and experiencing other bells.
Our favourite was Lyme Regis, not just because of ringing 10 bells but because of their lovely tone. Thoughts at the end of the day? Appreciating how nice our bells sound even though they may be hard work!!
Cream teas all round
Clive and Hilary,
Cruwys Morchard
Reproduced from RINGING ROUND DEVON
Sunday, 3 March saw Bampton's St. Michael and All Angels' last service taken by The Reverend John Stone before his withdrawal from full -time service in the Ministry. John has been a popular vicar and a stalwart supporter of the Bampton band of ringers. He joined our annual dinners and other events, chaired bellringers' meetings and was always keen to receive visiting bands provided they could be accommodated within the church schedules. He is now enjoying life at a slower pace in Hemyock but as a farewell gesture of appreciation, the Bampton band marked his retirement from St Michael's with a Quarter Peal of Plain Bob Minor.
The ringers (pictured) for this occasion were, from left to right, Mike Hatchett
(6 and Conductor), Sheila Scofield (3), Les Boyce (5), Rev. John Stone
(listening!), Pat Hatchett (1), Ann Barrow (2) and Tony Trigg (4).
We all wish John much contentment in his retirement
Photographs by Sheila Scofield
200 peals have now been rung on the restored bells at Huntsham. The first
peal on the restored bells was rung on December 4th 2004 - a peal of Bristol Surprise
Major. The 200th Peal was a never before rung method called Droop Treble Bob
Major, composed by one of the ringers, Robert.D.S.Brown and coducted by Timothy
F Collins.
(Click Here to see the details)
The Thursday morning peal band at Huntsham has been much strengthened recently with the regular addition of Robert D. S. Brown of Bovey Tracey. Robert has been producing some very interesting compositions for us to ring and we much admire his skills as a composer. Our latest challenge is to ring a number of new Treble Bob Major methods, the name of each starting with a different letter of the alphabet, starting with A and finishing with Z. Robert has selected the methods and produced the compositions, all we have to do is ring them. The web site will record our progress throughout this year.
Ringing related fund raising at Huntsham has produced over £13,800 since 2005. Peal ringing alone has raised over £7000. Most of the funds have been distrubuted to organisations such as The Devon Bell Restoration Fund, Huntsham PCC, The Guild of Devonshire Ringers - North East Branch and local charities.
The Troyte Ringing Centre (TRC) held a Dinner at The Redwoods, Uplowman, on Friday 4th December to mark its fifth anniversary and to review its future development. Representatives from each affiliated tower in the North East Branch were invited to join members of the TRC committee. Chairman of the Branch, Les Boyce, thanked Mike Hatchett for his vision and energy in setting up and running the Centre during the last five years and Mike gave thanks to members of the committee and helpers for their continued work in supporting it.
Representatives from Bampton, Tiverton St Peter, Uffculme, Cruwys Morchard, Silverton and Bickleigh gave suggestions from their members on the future initiatives for the Centre to consider and written comments were received from Tiverton St Paul's and Culmstock.
During the five years the TRC has raised over £13,000 which has been distributed between Huntsham Church, the NE branch, TRC, the DCBRF and local charities.
The TRC holds regular Saturday training events, weekly Branch practices on Mondays, monthly advanced 6-8 bell practices on Wednesdays, has hosted special events and now runs training sessions on the Practice Bell at Bampton three times a week.
To celebrate the Anniversary the TRC merchandise will be enhanced by ‘TRC anniversary mugs’- these will be on sale from January.
Sheila Scofield
Reproduced from RINGING ROUND DEVON
The Bampton Teddy bear drop from the tower on Bank holiday Monday raised £180 for the Church Funds - and was a great PR exercise for the bellringers.
Sheila Scofield
Reproduced from RINGING ROUND DEVON
Fifty years ago the recruitment of ringers was less of a problem than it is now. Most churches had a Sunday School, many had children in the choir and some had altar boys. So bellringers saw the young talent available and approached those and the parents they thought who might make ringers. Today it is more difficult, not only are there far fewer Sunday Schools and children in choirs but there are fewer parents in our congregations. So recruiting ringers relies largely upon personal contact.
Two years ago the North East Branch decided that it would have to raise its profile and concentrate on improving public awareness about ringing and on recruiting new ringers. We have the advantage of a Branch practice bell and simulator and we have three designated Branch Practice Towers and therefore we decided to focus on a publicity campaign with the aim of recruiting more ringers in the longer term.
Our thinking took us along a route of presentations and displays at church open days, agricultural shows and country fairs, coffee mornings, local history groups and other community based local interest groups. What we needed was good quality displays of relevant materials. We looked at what was available and came to the conclusion that although in most cases the content was satisfactory the actual presentation was often quite poor. We decided to commission our own display boards and to appoint a designer with experience of museum and gallery display work. After a disappointing false start when our chosen designer pulled out at the very last moment we found Alan Murray of Crediton who has worked with us over the last twelve months to produce our set of ten display boards, the content of which can be selected and arranged to suit each specific need.
We now have boards which describe how bells are cast, tuned and hung for full circle ringing; boards which describe the work of the Guild of Devonshire Ringers and the Devon Association, and boards which indicate where we ring, what we ring and why we ring. These boards are arranged in easily erected and dismounted systems which can be conveniently transported by car and erected in a few moments by one person.
Of course, no matter how good the displays are they will not b y themselves recruit new ringers. They need to be supported by enthusiastic ringers in attendance to answer questions and to provide supplementary information and handouts and to make contacts with local towers. The boards are readily available on a first come first served basis.
The new boards on display.
Perhaps a final word about cost. The complete system of ten display boards and the system which supports them together with the design work cost just over £5,000. The North East Branch allocated £500 towards the project. The remainder of the funds were provided by the Troyte Ringing Centre from its income over the past four years and included the award from the Founders' Company received by the Centre in 2007.
Mike Hatchett
Reproduced from RINGING ROUND DEVON
At the request of the Bishop of Crediton all bellringers from the Tiverton Deanery were invited to the Troyte Ringing Centre for tea as part of the “Bishops in Mission” programme. Bishop Bob met and thanked ringers for their service and dedication. During a short address he talked of the importance of rural communities and the necessity of retaining rural values and traditions such as bellringing as a way of sustaining a vibrant village life in troubled times.
On the afternoon of May 14th Bishop Bob began with a session at Bampton, where Mike Hatchett and Jack Ward demonstrated the use of the practice bell in training learners and in advancing method ringing. He was then taken by Rev John Stone to Huntsham Village Hall to join ringers from all over the Deanery for a splendid tea where he spent over an hour talking to individual ringers.
Sheila Scofield
| SOUVENIR GOODS - PRICES | |
| Pencils | 50p |
| Bookmarks | £1.00 |
| Drink Bottles | £3.50 |
| 1/2pt Glasses | £3.00 |
| Mugs | £4.00 |
A collection of brand-marked items are for sale to support the Troyte Ringing Centre. The souvenir goods are available at both Huntsham and Bampton churches, you can also find them at training or social events, or order them when you book your training or ringing sessions. If your really keen then e-mail Sheila Scofield on sheilascofield@hotmail.com .
The Ringing Round Devon quarterly Newsletter of the Guild of Devonshire Ringers can be found here.