bells – Page 5 – Friends of St Mary's Hawkesbury

February 2021 News

Lisa Overton, Secretary of the Friends of St Mary’s, provides our latest news round-up:

TOWER RESTORATION

We are at last seeing the church tower appearing from its strange white cladding and scaffolding and the excellent conservation done by Carrek of Bristol will be visible.

NEW BELLS PROGRESS

When Covid restrictions are lifted again, and spring is on its way, we hope to be able to gather to see all the improvements to the church, inside and out, which Colin’s photos show already. The new bells (should we call them ‘Applebells’?) are being tuned, the frame to hang them from prepared and before they are hoisted through the tower hatches, we hope the Bishop of Gloucester will come to bless them at a special service. So there is much to look forward to.

THANK YOU FOR DONATIONS

Many thanks to those kind supporters of hunkypunks and gargoyles who sent in donations for their conservation. We hope they will now be able to glare down on us and many future generations in Hawkesbury.

CHURCHYARD CLEAR-UP

It’s that time of year again! We will be turning our attention to a good clear-up of the churchyard once the scaffolding comes down, and would appreciate some strong and energetic helpers when the time comes and Covid restrictions are eased. We need to clip and clear ivy, clean gulleys and gutters and weed paths. If you would like to help, please contact me.

With thanks to John Seager for allowing us to use his beautiful photograph of St Mary’s against the Milky Way, taken at three o’clock in the morning!

FEBRUARY SERVICES

Due to lockdown, all services will be online this month, hosted on the Badminton Benefice’s YouTube account here.

6th – 10am – Presentation of Christ in the Temple (from Hawkesbury)
13th – 10am – Sunday before Lent (from Leighterton)
20th – 10am – 1st Sunday of Lent (from Oldbury)
27th – 10am – 2nd Sunday of Lent (from Badminton)

PLUS Midweek services on Zoom – every Wednesday at 9.30am
(Please contact the Vicar if you would like to attend)

Listen to St Mary’s Singular Medieval Bell in Action

Thanks to our bell tutor James Joynson for kindly providing this impressive video of St Mary’s singular medieval bell being rung just before Christmas.

Both the bell and its frame are listed and will remain in place after our new ring of eight bells is installed later this year. The new bells will sit comfortably beneath it in our tower.

Ringers Get Ready for Shiny New Bells

Our new ring of eight bells has now been removed from their moulds and polished to perfection, ready for shipment from the bell foundry in Italy to the UK. They should be arriving in time for Christmas, but before they can be put into service they must be hung in the tower, allowed to settle and tuned.

Ringers Get Ready

photo of dumb bell in use — Tower Captain Colin Dixon trains Debbie Young on the dumb bell

In the meantime, St Mary’s bell ringers are continuing to practice (pausing only for lockdown) on the dumb bell in St Mary’s Tower Captain Colin Dixon‘s barn. As their skills develop, they are starting to practice ringing in rounds with a virtual team online.

Additional coaching is being given by two local experts:

Chris Cooper, Chairman of the Wotton Branch of the Gloucester and Bristol Diocesan Association of Bell Ringers (G&BDABR) and who rings at Chipping Sodbury
James Joynson, Bell Master for the Wotton branch of the G&BDABR and responsible for technical aspects of bells and bell ringing training within the Diocese and training

James has also been really helpful with St Mary’s training to date, including setting up the dumb bell.

Like to Try Bell Ringing?

New ringers are always welcome to join the team, which will need to be at least 8 strong by the time the bells come into use, ideally with some reserves.

No previous experience is necessary as full training will be given. Bellringing is great fun for all ages, with our youngest team member in his teens and the oldest well into retirement. Provided you’re tall enough to reach the rope (minimum recommended age is about 10), you’re never too young – or too old – to give it a try!