Bell Ringing

We practice Bell Ringing on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month starting at 10.00 am and finishing at 11.30 am. If you are interested in joining us as established ringers or as learners please join us in the tower at Wonston. If we have started just knock on the hatch door and we will let you in! We are happy to provide training for beginners! If you need further information please send a message through the website.

The ring of bells is housed in the church tower. The tower has four floors, the ground floor being the west door entrance. This was also the vestry prior to 1908.

The first floor is the Ringing Chamber and is accessed by a flight of steps. Some visitors might find this access a bit daunting but, with care, it can easily be achieved. The steps are a solid staircase ladder leading to a hatch. The hatch is quite heavy so we suggest that the first person going up should be confident and able to push the hatch upwards. There is also a handrail and a rope on the staircase that provides some support.

The second floor is the Silence Chamber, the third floor housing the ring of six bells.

The second and third floors are reached by a small stone spiral staircase from outside.

s WELLS ALDBOURN FECIT 1802 JN^o FIFIELD & W^m PERN C^h WARDENS"

Bells 2 and 3 have no inscription.

The treble was dedicated on Sunday 7th February 1932 and is inscribed:

"To the Glory of God. This bell was added to complete the peal of six, the gift of the Barron Bell Trust, 1932"

The bells swing in the unusual direction of north and south. This is the weakest direction for the tower but the tower does not move, as many do.

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More information can be obtained from our Tower Captain, Paul Fitzgerald, telephone 01962-761959. You can be assured of a warm welcome.

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Our current ringing team is:

Paul Fitzgerald (Tower Captain)

Jan Barrett

Peter Barrett

Gerry Cornick

Sandy Fitzgerald

Christine Knights-Whittome

Sara Marsh

Gary Marsh

Eva Nunn

Tomas Nunn

Janet Ryan

Ian Whaites

Gratefully assisted by:

John Croft

Mary Tiles

Edmund Wratten