Ringing outing, guest post by southdowner
I just can’t get enough ringing. There. I admitted it. Worst of all I’m not using the “I recognised my addiction so I’m on the first step to curing it” explanation. I recognise my addiction… and I’m FEEDING it. (Such a bad person *g*)
And perhaps you can see why when I show you some pictures of a recent ringing outing.
This is a small Warwickshire village called Polesworth (close to Sheepy Magna which has to be one of my favourite village names), and Polesworth has old buildings scattered liberally amongst the new.
In the heart of it all is an old Abbey which just happens to have 8 bells – and what do we do with bells? Well at Polesworth there is choice :D
Of course there’s always ringing – here is the only stained glass ringer I have found so far
Then there’s the craft option…
And the literary tradition (ringers tend to have a strange sense of humour which is obviously historical ! )
The whole text on the wall says (I’ve kept the spelling as written):-
Who will divirt themselves with Ringing here
Must nicely mind to Ring with hand and ear
And if he gives his Bell an Overthrow
Pay Sixpence a forfeit for doing so
He who in Ringing wears Spurs Gloves or Hat
Pay Sixpence as a forfeit for that
All persons that disturbance here create
Forfeit one Shilling towards the Ringers treat
Those that to our easy laws concent
May Join and Ring with us we are content
Now in love and unity Join a pleasant peal to Ring
Heavens Bless the Church and George
Our gracious King Amen
A gathering of ringers is also great for advertising (had you noticed that black T shirt ?)
And let’s not forget the climbing; there’s nearly ALWAYS climbing :D
Many ringers like taking photos – many of my Facebook friends are ringers and most of them have large albums of ringing photos. Polesworth Abbey offered plenty of scope for photos – historical…
And photos artistic (I’m not intending to imply that my composition is artistic O.O! Rather that there is a joyful abundance of art decorating the church)
And stained glass everywhere – I love sun through stained glass…
And yes, we DID actually do some ringing; I liked the bells which I thought of as “kind” – my mentor who is a long standing perfectionist of a ringer said she thought they were “stately” which I felt summed them up perfectly.
I’d definitely like to visit and ring at Polesworth again. Some towers remain in the memory as more to be avoided!
And did I mention that every outing involves a pub lunch? What hardship!!
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