www.aylshamtower.org.uk

ST. MICHAEL'S GUILD OF RINGERS
AYLSHAM PARISH CHURCH, NORFOLK.

[This site was last updated on 17th June, 2009.]

Bell Ringing Times at Aylsham for June
SundaysMorning Service 09.20 to 10.00 hrs. General ringing
Tuesdays Practice 19.30 to 21.00 hrs. General ringing
Saturday 6th Wedding [12.30h.] c.13.00 to 13.30 hrs. Invited band
Other local ringing in June
Erpingham Sunday, 14th 08.30 hrs. Quarter-peal
Saturday 20th Guild Outing General ringing
Pulham Market 09.45 h.
Ixworth 11.30 h.
Blo Norton 15.00 h.
East Harling 16.15 h.
NB. THE VISIT TO BRESSINGHAM PLANNED FOR 14.15 HAS NOW BEEN CANCELLED.
All ringers are most welcome to join our local band for any of our general ringing sessions. Lapsed ringers considering a return to the Exercise are particularly encouraged to come along at these times, which are always friendly and unpressurised occasions. Quarter-peal and Wedding ringing is by invitation, but competent ringers are always being sought for these events and should inform the Secretary if they would like to be involved. Non ringers wishing to learn should contact the Tower Captain, Daniel Phillips, on 01603 279406. Join a tradition dating back 400 years – become a bell ringer.

By the very nature of the Exercise, it is probably fair to say that most bell-ringers possess an ample share of man’s natural gregarious instinct. Certainly, this is borne out by the large number of members who turn out on the first Saturday in May each year to join with their contemporaries for a celebration of ringing at the Annual General Meeting of the Norwich Diocesan Association of Ringers [NDA]. On these delightful occasions in the company of like-minded enthusiasts, not only is the business of the Association attended to in formal manner, but opportunities are presented to ring at several towers during the course of the day, to praise and give thanks to the Lord for the ringing skills that have been acquired, and to enjoy a lavish “ringers’ tea” [ah! the ringers’ tea!].

It was the turn of our own Northern Branch to organise this year’s A.G.M. and Buxton was the chosen venue for the main focus of activity. During the afternoon, ringers from throughout the county found their way in turn to several local towers, including Lammas, Felmingham, Stratton Strawless, Hevingham and Marsham, before gathering together, to the sound of Buxton’s own bells, filling the fine parish church there for worship. Thanks to several dedicated helpers, including from Aylsham our Guild members Iris Phillips, Hilary Shaw and Maureen Gardiner, there followed one of the legendary ringers’ teas already referred to. Thus fortified, members went into the Associations AGM to move with promptitude through a familiar agenda. The day ended in the ringing chamber of our own parish church where our bells were enjoyed by many, especially those who otherwise have little or no opportunity to ring on ten. Once again, we ringers at St. Michael’s were reminded how fortunate we are.

Members of the NDA have not been the only visitors to our tower over the past month. In late April the Clerical Guild of Ringers paid us a visit, bringing priests, padres and parsons from throughout the land to our town for an hour’s ringing. Early in May came a most competent band of about twenty ringers from the London parishes of Hackney, Aldgate and Kilburn, to undertake our weekly pre-service ringing. It was a great delight, and indeed unusual these days, to hear ten bells ringing on a Sunday morning.

Members of St. Michael’s Guild of Ringers will themselves become visitors this month when they travel to the south of the County, and into Suffolk for their annual Guild Outing. The towers and times of visits are listed above and any ringer who would like to join us for all or just part of the itinerary would be most welcome.

Finally this month, our steeple-keeper, Peter Hodson, has been trying to coax the ageing chiming mechanism of the church clock to sound out in a more dignified and musical manner. The quarter-hour chimes have been silenced periodically over the past eighteen months, but at least one local gardener laments this action since he has relied upon the convenient marking of these 15 minute periods to deal methodically with the many tasks he has in hand. With the revival of our clock chimes, I shall look forward with keen anticipation to enjoying even more his delightful garden!

Keith Shaw,
Tower Secretary.