www.wonershchurch.com

 

St John the Baptist

Wonersh Bells and Bellringers

 

BibleGateway.com - Exodus 28:35;

……The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he comes out, so that he will not die.

 

The peal of eight bells were cast in 1958 by Mears Whitechapel bellfoundry in London.  They are a very fine, tuneful and easy-to-ring peal with a tenor of 11½ cwt.  Before 1958 there were six bells, five cast by Richard Phelps (at Whitechapel) in 1727 and the sixth a gift of Lord Grantley in 1804.  The earliest record of bells in the tower is in 1552 when there were three bells, with a tenor of 16cwt plus a sacring or sanctus bell. These were no doubt confiscated by the Crown at the time of the reformation, except for one bell for future use. The first two stages of the tower date from the thirteenth century and its height was raised in 1751 when a third tier was added, but some of the thirteenth century spire beams were reused and remain as part of the roof today.  Before 1751 the bells were rung from the ground floor and grooves made by the bell ropes are still clearly visible in the arch between the tower and the Lady Chapel.  The present ringing chamber in the tower was created in the 1901 reordering.

 

For those who like details, the dimensions and inscriptions of the current bells are-:

 

Bell

Diameter

Note

Weight

Inscription

 

 

 

Cwt-qtrs-lbs

 

Tenor

3'-4"

G

11-2-25

Messeiures Henry Denyer James Weale Churchwardens R Phelps made me 1727. Recast 1958 Mears London. The Rev Hugh G.B.Anthony Vicar. Mr W G Brett & Mr P M Rees Churchwardens

7th

3'-0"

A

8-2-17

R Phelps Fecit 1727. Mears London Recast 1958. The Rev Hugh G.B.Anthony Vicar. Mr W G Brett & Mr P M Rees Churchwardens

6th

2’-8 7/8”

B

6-2-27

R Phelps Fecit 1727. Mears London Recast 1958. The Rev Hugh G.B.Anthony Vicar. Mr W G Brett & Mr P M Rees Churchwardens

5th

2’-6 7/8”

C

5-2-9

R Phelps Fecit 1727. Mears London Recast 1958. The Rev Hugh G.B.Anthony Vicar. Mr W G Brett & Mr P M Rees Churchwardens

4th

2’-4 7/8”

D

4-3-18

R Phelps Fecit 1727. Mears London Recast 1958. The Rev Hugh G.B.Anthony Vicar. Mr W G Brett & Mr P M Rees Churchwardens

3rd

2’-2 7/8”

E

4-0-24

Mears of London Fecit.  A Gift of the Rt Honourable Lord Grantley. Mears London Recast 1958. The Rev Hugh G.B.Anthony Vicar. Mr W G Brett & Mr P M Rees Churchwardens

2nd

2’-1 ¼”

F#

3-2-17

Mears & Stainbank made me 1958. The Rev Hugh G.B.Anthony Vicar. Mr W G Brett & Mr P M Rees Churchwardens.  Mears London

Treble

2'-0 1/8"

G

3-2-4

Given in 1958 by the band of ringers of Wonersh Church tower under their captain Mr W Enticknap in memory of all past ringers of Wonersh Church. The Rev Hugh G.B.Anthony Vicar. Mr W G Brett & Mr P M Rees Churchwardens.  Mears London

 

 

 

 

              

Bells 4, 5 and 8                                          Bells 4 and 5 from above.                                       

 

 

 

Bellringers come in all sizes and ages, and our bellringers in Wonersh are no exception.  Our most senior ringer, Gay Enticknap, was taught to ring by his father Walter at the age of 10 when the wartime ban on bellringing was lifted in 1944.  In 2004 we rang a quarter peal on the bells to celebrate his 70th birthday and his 60 years of service as a bellringer.  Our younger ringers include Ruth Hodges who joined the bell ringing band and learnt to ring in the last year, and William Darvill who is at university in Lancaster, so we only have the benefit of his services during the vacations.  William’s father, Stephen is the ‘tower captain’ in general charge of ringing.  The regular Sunday band includes Graham and Jan Fowler, Keith Holman, Graham Jelley and Josie Taylor.  Janet Patterson has rejoined the band (at least on practice nights) after a maternity break.  Ideally we need to recruit and/or train two or three more ringers to be sure of ringing eight bells on Sundays and being able to ring for weddings without imports.

 

Ringers from Worplesdon, Albury and Cranleigh have been valuable regular supporters of our Thursday night practices throughout the year, enabling us to progress, learning some new methods and improving our standard of ringing.  We do have fun ringing together too! 

 

We rang for six weddings and hosted nine visiting bands from across the south of England.  We have an exceptionally fine peal of bells that other ringers do like to come and ring.

 

We have recently purchased and installed a new set of bell ropes which  have replaced the ropes that were installed about 20 years ago.  They had done good service during those years, outlasting at least four incumbents and many more churchwardens, though the ropes all had new top ends spliced in and many also had new tail ends.  Perhaps we should do the same for vicars and churchwardens to increase their longevity?!

 

To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the casting and installation of our current bells we are planning to ring a full peal of 5040 changes.  That will take about three hours of continuous ringing and will require considerable mental concentration and some physical fitness by our local band.  Target date for our first attempt is the morning of Saturday 26th April 2008.  The first full peal on the current eight bells is commemorated on a peal board that hangs in the ringing chamber of the tower.  That peal was 5040 changes of Grandsire Triples, so we plan to ring the same method for the golden anniversary peal. For those of you wondering why we ring 5040 changes for a full peal, it is because we ring every permutation of the front seven bells with the heaviest bell ringing at the back of every change to set a good steady beat. If you remember your school mathematics the number of different permutations of seven bells is 7x6x5x4x3x2x1=5040.  If you want an explanation of how we manage to ring every permutation without any repetition I will be happy to introduce you to some of the mathematical complexities of the distinctly English art of change ringing.

 

 

Bellringing is fun, challenging and rewarding as well as bringing pleasure to lots of people who hear the bells and are reminded thereby of the presence and outreach of the church across the village.  We always welcome new ringers.  If you would you like to learn the ancient and very English craft of bellringing, we are willing to teach you, provided you are willing to commit your time to regular practices and Sunday ringing.  Basic requirements are 

o age over 10 years

o at least five feet tall

o alert in mind and with a good sense of rhythm

o able in body (though no great strength is needed)

If you are interested contact Stephen Darvill (01483 894606 or stephen.darvill@btinternet.com) or come to any Thursday practice night at 8pm to learn more.

 

 

 

Link to:-   Guildford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers

 

 

 

 

 

www.wonershchurch.com