Four Shires Guild of Bell Ringers

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Around the Towers

Peals, Quarter Peals and other special ringing:-

Aston Cantlow, Warks, 9th Oct, 1260 Plain Bob Doubles: Chris Mew (C) 1, Bertie Williams 2, Sandra Parker 3, Michael Gray 4, Phil Stevens 5, John Martin 6. Rung in memory of Carol Davis, ringer at this tower.

Dumbleton, Glos, 31st Oct, 1260 PB Minor: Freda Cleaver 1, Paul Smith 2, Chris Povey 3, Claire Penny 4, Matthew Kemble 5, Martin Penny (C) 6.

Stratford-on-Avon, Warks, 19th Oct, 1296 Grandsire Caters: Nick Allsopp 1 (C), Keith Abbott 2, Richard Lewis-Skeath 3, Rosemary Hemmings 4, Bob Tregillus 5, Rod Bickerton 6, Michael Haynes 7, John Nicholls 8, Simon Adams 9, John Carroll 10. Rung as a 'thank you' to Michael Haynes for his help in reinstalling the recently re-bushed clappers. 1st Caters as conductor.

Freeland, Oxon, 24th Oct, 1440 Kent Treble Bob Minor: Ron Burgess 1, Michael Probert 2, Alison Merryweather-Clarke 3, Anthony Williamson 4, Neil Ephgrave 5, Richard Lewis-Skeath (C) 6. 1st in method: 2 & 5. Wishing Jenny Tognola a happy birthday, and hoping she will ring more Kent.

Offenham, Worcs, 8th Nov, 80 call changes in 45 mins: Claire Penny 1, Matthew Kemble 2, Bob Topp 3, Margaret Clayton 4, Chris Jeffries 5, Martin Penny (C) 6. Longest continuous ringing for 4 & 5. First for all the band.

Wellesbourne, Warks, 10th Nov, 1260 Stedman Triples: Richard Lewis-Skeath 1, Peter Quinn 2, Chris Mew (C) 3, Karen French 4, Michael Dane 5, Robert Reeves 6, John Nicholls 7, John Wheeler 8. Rung as a 40th birthday compliment to Sophia Lewis-Skeath.

Freeland, Oxon, 14th Nov, 1272 Cambridge S. Minor: Jenny Haviland 1, Anthony Williamson 2, Alison Merryweather-Clarke 3, Michael Probert 4, Neil Ephgrave 5, Richard Lewis-Skeath (C) 6. Rung to congratulate Shaza Elsiddig on becoming a British citizen yesterday. Also birthday compliments to Sophia Lewis-Skeath & Anne Skeath.

Willersey, Glos, 15th Nov, 1260 120 called changes in 42 mins: Helen Chadburn 1, Jenny Chadburn 2, Christopher Gooding 3, Bob Topp 4, Robert Chadburn (C) 5, Mark Newbury 6.. Rung by the Sunday service band as a compliment to David Hammond, in thanks for 36 years as tower captain.

Willersey, Glos, 15th Nov, 1260 Grandsire Doubles: Stefanie Whittle 1, Doug Bott 2, Robert Hall 3, Sarah Chadburn 4, Robert Chadburn (C) 5, Mark Newbury 6. Rung as a compliment to David Hammond, in thanks for 36 years as tower captain.

Evesham, Worcs, 29th Nov, 1320 Plain Bob Cinques: Chris Povey (C) 1, Margaret Smith 2, John Smith 3, Roger Hunt 4, Robert D C Richards 5, Nick Allsopp 6, Claire Penny 7, Matthew Kemble 8, David Roskelly 9, Bill Nash 10, Stuart Piper 11, Martin Penny 12. 1st of Bob Cinques: 1, 8, 10. 1st of Bob Cinques inside: 7. Probably the first 12-bell Q for the Guild.

Mickleton, Glos, 8th Dec, 1260 Grandsire Triples: Chris Mew (C) 1, John Kinchin 2, Alan Hartley 3, Karen French 4, Jackie Hands 5, Robert Reeves 6, John Nicholls 7, Richard Lewis-Skeath 8.

Offenham, Worcs, 13th Dec, 1260 Doubles (St Simon's, St Martin's, Plain, April Day & Grandsire): Bob Topp 1, Roger Hunt 2, Richard Lewis-Skeath 3, Matthew Kemble 4, Martin Penny (C) 5, Stef Whittle 6. Rung for the Christmas Tree Festival.

Offenham, Worcs, 18th Dec, 1260 Grandsire Doubles: Bob Topp 1, Claire Penny 2, Tom Sandham 3, Chris Povey 4, Matthew Kemble (C) 5, Chris Jeffries 6. Rung before the Macmillan Cancer Support Christmas Concert. Remembering Judy Morris, long-time Macmillan committee member and friend to many in the audience.

Moreton-in-Marsh, Glos, 20th Dec, 1288 Grandsire Triples: Nick Allsopp 1, Richard Lewis-Skeath (C) 2, Jeanette Davey 3, Matthew Kemble 4, Alson Merryweather-Clarke 5, John Nicholls 6, Steve Bowley 7, Stef Whittle 8. Birthday compliments to Jeanette, Alison and Stef. 1st Q on 8: 8. Circled tower to Qs 4 times: 2

Warwick (St Nicholas), 22nd Dec, 1250 Lincolnshire S Major: Chris Mew (C) 1, Alan Hartley 2, Richard Lewis-Skeath 3, Sophia Lewis-Skeath 4, James Ingham 5, Michael Dane 6, John Nicholls 7, Peter Quinn 8. In memory of Revd P Michael Freeman, previous incumbent at this church.

Bledington, Glos, 27th Dec, 1260 Grandsire Doubles: Richard Lewis-Skeath 1, Michael Probert 2, Michael Haynes 3, John Nicholls 4, Alison Merryweather-Clarke (C) 5, Stef Whittle 6.

Broadwell, Glos, 27th Dec, 1260 Grandsire Doubles: Michael Probert 1, Richard Lewis-Skeath 2, Michael Haynes 3, John Nicholls 4, Alison Merryweather-Clarke (C) 5, Stef Whittle 6. Most Qs as conductor in a day. Most Qs in a day: 6

Saintbury, Glos, 30th Dec, 1344 Plain Bob Major: Jenny Chadburn 1, Richard Lewis-Skeath 2, Claire Penny 3, James Allen 4, Martin Penny 5, John Nicholls 6, Sarah Chadburn 7, Robert Chadburn (C) 8. 1st Major: 1. 50th Q this year: 2. A 16th birthday compliment to Benjamin Lewis-Skeath.

Evesham, Worcs, 31st Dec, 1260 Grandsire Doubles: Georgie Roberts 1, Christina Ireland 2, Martin Penny 3, Robert Hall, 4, Chris Povey (C) 5, Matthew Kemble 6. 1st Q Grandsire Doubles inside: 2.

(Please let me have details of quarters. I cannot guarantee to see them on Campanophile, Bellboard, or wherever. I do some, but probably not all. Ed)

PEOPLE AND PLACES:-

Pebworth.The replacement for the cracked headstock is likely to be fitted in January. There have been other changes here, too, with Martin Penny becoming the Ringing Master. (Martin is the 'other half' of Claire from Offenham. Claire is passionate about teaching people to ring and regularly helps at Kineton's Teaching Centre. Pebworth's light front 6 will clearly be put to good use in this respect — which is one of the two main reasons why the ring was augmented to 10. Ed) All future enquiries regarding Pebworth's bells should be directed to him on pebworthbells@btinternet.com. Pebworth will be the venue for the Guild's AGM in October.

Evesham Bell Tower. The Guild's practice here on January 10th will be the last until at least the end of 2015. The Tower is due to have stonework restoration work from Feb/March to about November. More about this in the next Newsletter.

Lower Quinton. The stonework repairs to the spire have been completed and this has allowed the damaged wheel, hit by a falling lump of stone, also to be repaired. Taylors supplied and fitted a new top half-wheel in November.

Adlestrop. Things continue here towards a rehang. A Faculty is in the process of being obtained and a deposit has been paid to secure the WBF quotation.

L-R: Graham Clifton (WofA and FSG member), Simon Ridley (the person who has been pushing for the rehang for many years), Malcolm Taylor and Mike Seagrave.

Stanway.The four bells have been removed and the new treble bell has been cast. The tenor's weight, as removed, was 11-0-8 (but it felt more like 21cwt! They were dreadful to ring. Ed), but this will reduce after tuning. A photo of the team that removed the bells, together with (I suspect) the tenor is below: