Ringing at St John's
At St John's there is a peal of eight
bells
which have recently been overhauled and rehung. They are rung each
Sunday by a dedicated team of ringers.
Bell Ringing practice is on Thursday evenings at 7.30 p.m.
Anyone interested in ringing should contact the captain of the tower.
Visiting ringers are always welcome
and
should contact the Tower Captain.
The eight
bells were originally cast between 1610 and 1747, but some (see below)
have been recast and all were rehung with plain bearings in a steel
frame in 1902.
A team of eight ringers are needed to ring
the bells.
- The bells are rung every
Sunday to call people to worship,
- For weddings and special
occasions.
Who can ring?
- Anyone from the age of 8
to 90!
What happens if you get
it wrong?
- Learners can break the
stay and the bell rope can go up through the ceiling taking them with
it.
The
inscriptions on the bells are as follows:
- Treble: "The Gift of Wm. Willy, Esqr. Mr.
Tris. Godwin and Mr. Wm. Adlam Ch. Wardens. Js. Burrough Founder 1747",
Note : D. 4 cwt. 2 qrs 25 lbs.
- Second: "The Gift of Wm. Willy Esqr. Mr. Wm.
Adlam and Mr. Tris.Godwin ch. Wardens. Js. Burrough Founder. 1747".
Note : C sharp. 4 cwt 3 qrs 13 Ibs. (James Burrough’s foundry operated
next to St. John’s churchyard 173~1755).
- Third: "Vivat Rex et Floreat Grex. Ano Domini
1677 : (symbol of a bell) R.P. (bell) W.C. (2 bells) + T.C. + ". Note :
B. 7 cwt 2 qrs 8 lbs.
- Fourth: "HOPE WELL I.W. 1610". Note : A. 7
cwt 0 qrs 26 lbs.
- Fifth: "FEARE THE LORDE 1610 I.W. Note: G. 9
cwt 3 qrs 9 lbs. (Recast in 1927).
- Sixth: "Mr. James Sutton Mier William Ric :
Smith Churchwardens 1697 (shield with three bells)." Note: F sharp. 10
cwt 2 qrs 17 lbs. (Ric. is an abbreviation for Richard).
- Sewenth: "John Jordan and Matthew Figgins
Churchwardens. 1677 (two bells) R.P. (bell) W.C. (bell & tree) (a)
Recast 1905 (b) (Taylor’s mark) As a thank-offering from Mary Peace. J.
G. ‘Watson M.A. Rector. G. S. A.Waylen, E. J. Giddings. Churchwardens".
Note : E. 15 cwt 3 qrs 1 lb.
- Tenor: "Richard Hillier; Mayor Gnt. Charles
Danvers Sqr Recorder.1677. R.P. (bell) W.C. (two bells) Henry Johnson,
Rector; John Jordan and Matthew Figgins, churchwardens". Note : D. 19
cwt 1 qtr 6 lbs. (The Initials R.P. and W.C. on the 3rd, 7th and Tenor
are those of William Coney and his assistant Rog
Ten
peals are recorded on boards in the ringing chamber. One of particular
interest is a peal of 5040 changes of Grandsire Triples rung in
February 1920 in memory of Devizes ringers who gave their lives in the
1914-18 war. Mr. G. Harding who conducted the peal on that day rang in
a quarter peal in Devizes as recently as September 1969, over 49 years
later. Another peal board records one of Grandsire Triples rung in 1962
in honour of the 80th anniversary of the Salisbury Diocesan Guild by
officials of the Devixes Branch. Until it was stopped in 1940, the
curfew had been rung at 9 p.m. for several hundred years. The late Mr.
Jessie Stone, as verger, carried out this duty for the final 40 years,
but the practice was not resumed after the war ended.
St.
John’s has a long tradition of good bell and ringing chamber
maintenance and this has been continued in the recent removal of all
eight bells, overhaul of the frame and rehanging of the bells in 1997.
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