St Mary's Bells
Following a period of silence of some fifty years, St Mary’s bells started ringing again in November 2007. Fr Louis was keen that a new team of change ringers should be started and a small band was recruited, which then started to learn the whole art of bell-ringing at Goldhanger.
At Christmas of that year, the bells were rung on Christmas Day for the first time since before the second world war!
The team has grown and has taken part in numerous competitions, and ringing tours. It is now an important and active member of the Essex Association of Change Ringers.
The Church Bells date back to 1636 and, following the commitment and training of the team of bell ringers formed in November 2007, are rung every Sunday morning.
The bells will also be rung before Evensong on the first Sunday of each month.
If you would like to have a go or just see how the bells are rung come along or contact Tower Captain, Simon Gowler on 01621 842091.
The Handbells
The St. Mary’s team of handbell ringers was restarted in March 2000. They are members of the handbell ringers of Great Britain, formed in 1967, which keeps them in touch with the many rallies and other events organised throughout the year.
The team have at present 16 handbells worth approximately £5,000. Some of the bells were cast by the Carr family at Aldbourne in Wiltshire, in the 1700s. That business was bought by mears of whitechapel in 1825, where the remainder of our bells were cast in the mid 1800s. Whitechapel Bell Foundry is still on the same site today and the bells were last renovated in there in 1983.
The bells are stored in a fitted carrying case and do not require much maintenance – a drop of oil occasionally and an annual polish. The handbell ringers wear white gloves when handling the bells, not to keep their hands warm, but to protect the bell metal from fingerprints.
