After a project lasting eight years the tower, frame and bells have been restored enabling full circle ringing to take place after a gap of at least 134 years. The bells were test rung in February and declared safely restored by Nigel & Julia Taylor, Paul Cammiade , and David Sloman.
Before Covid struck in 2020, several of us had started to attend the Willingale Ringing School, however sadly the long two year lockdown meant that the bells returned from Taylors of Loughborough before we were really able to ring without the support of the many kind and patient experts, who have attended our Friday practice nights to teach us. Our villagers have really welcomed the return of our bells and our practice nights sounding across the fields of our village.
We have a small band of regular ringers, who are all learning the art of bell ringing with the help of several teachers and expert ringers. David & Penny Sloman, Ian & Denise Kerwin gave unstintingly of their time to get our Tower up and running, supporting our Churchwarden Ann Usher and Mary Armson in this challenging task given the absence of a Priest. Penny Sloman kindly volunteered to be our Tower Correspondent and Mary Armson was elected Tower Captain in May.
Most of us still attend either Willingale or Prittlewell Ringing Schools, to improve our technique. We are also extremely grateful to John Harpole for some individual lessons and Sarah Chin-a-Loy and Stephen Halliwell, who alongside David & Penny, Ian and Denise & John have been regular teachers supporting us with our Friday night. Paul Cammiade, Barbara Leigh, Helen Harpole and Beth Johnson have also supported us in special events; Easter Sunday, Diamond Wedding and Jubilee ringing. Thank you everyone for the warm welcome to the Bell Ringing Community and for your enthusiastic support!
Our bells were blessed and dedicated on the 20th March by the Right Reverend Dr John Perumbalath, Bishop of Bradwell at a Eucharist service attended by Andrew Kelso, EACR Master,Nigel and Julia Taylor and David and Penny Sloman plus Ian and Denise Kerwin.The Friends of St. Mary & St. Edward’s church and the members of the Parochial Church Council also filled the church to welcome the bells home after years of determined fund raising.
We held a Bell Tower Open Celebration Day on the 21st May with a detailed exhibition of the research and work undertaken during the project.We welcomed over 50 ringers from all over the UK who took turns to ring various special and Minimus Methods. Simon Adams & Mike Semken representatives from John Taylors, four new headstock sponsors and local government representative, our MP and Chelmsford City Deputy Mayoress also joined us.
John Harpole and Ian Kerwin gave introductory bell handling to encourage would be ringers to feel a bell with several people expressing a serious interest.Our resident Bat Warden also showed people live specimens of the 5 species that also share our church. Despite the necessary Covid health precautions it was a very uplifting occasion.
Other highlights were a St. Georges Day tour with some Young Essex Ringers and the Jubilee Weekend Wedding ringing by Nigel & Julia Taylor, and Stephen Halliwell and Ryan Faulkner – Hatt. The first wedding ring for 134 years!!
Very sadly the recent drought appears to have suddenly destabilised our tower and bell frame so we have had to stop all ringing for the present and cancel all summer practices and visits until further.