Summer 2024 Leominster

Holmer & Friends Tower Outing 19-07-24

A leisurely chance to walk the dogs (we’re dog-sitting my sister’s Bernese at the moment) before setting off for the Holmer & Friends Tower Outing. This tour centred around our neighbouring town of Leominster and included a few of the towers in its surrounding villages. So, nice and “local”.

Cunningly disguised as a visiting group of ramblers, accompanied by a suitable collection of dogs, we gathered at the bottom of the tower of Leominster Priory (22-3-0).

As someone who is not especially comfortable with heights, I remember visiting the Priory when staying with family in the area a year or two ago and remarking that (to me) the ringing chamber looked a little high. At the time I thought it was probably one I wouldn’t ring in. But it is a beautiful thing when the confidence of your companions and the cold nose of a dog behind you, takes your mind off adversity. And so, the first note I made on my scrap of paper was ‘Made it up the Stairs!”. Who knows perhaps I might even ring in the cathedral one day?

The ringing chamber at the Priory is roomy, which for around twenty of us (did I mention a dog too?) helped greatly to accommodate the eager band. And so, with a tenor ringer located on the ample box allocated to that particular bell, the bells began to ring out for the day.

The ring of ten at the Priory go (technical term?) very nicely and we started with a well rung course of Grandsire Caters. Followed by various courses of rounds and call changes (or “Rounds and Squares” as they are oft called in our tower).

I don’t think I have heard Tittums or Rollercoaster (3216549870 – it took me a while to figure out what the ‘0’ stood for) before on ten. I’ve not previously been a fan of the sound of ten (or more) bells, but today I had to admit they sounded lovely. Perhaps this was due to the quality of the ringing but, one way or another, I might have to revise my opinion.

Next, we headed about five miles North to the village of Eye (8-1-0), where the Church of St Peter & St Paul* hosts a nice ring of six.  The ringing chamber isn’t as accommodating as the Priory, but some of our group had departed and were already headed South to join the Hereford District Summer Meeting at Fownhope.

Again, there was a good variety in the ringing here. Including Grandsire Doubles, Stedman, a touch of Single Oxford, Plain Hunt, a Bob Course of Cambridge and Doubles & Minor

Next, we were off for a well-earned lunch at the Angel in Kingsland. Where, the food and ale were universally given the thumbs-up and the conversation, at our table at least, comprised mostly of praises for the food and drink, the merits of home-roasted coffee and historical success in the field of avoiding paying domestic bills.

It was at this point it struck me that we were playing an alternative version of wedding crashers. At Eye we had snuck in a ring just before a wedding and we were about to follow a wedding on the ring of eight at the Church of St Michael's and All Angels (11-1-12). On the plus side, this reduced the number of times the bells had to be rung up and down over the day. And the next ring was just across the road from the pub. Perfect planning.

Grandsire Triples, Cambridge Major and Stedman Triples punctuated the Rounds & Call Changes and Plain Hunt here. The bells sounded and rang well here too. I guess in the same way that I’m repeatedly told there are no bad bells - only bad ringers/ringing, the credit should go to the ringers.

Then a few miles South-west to our last destination, Eardisland, for our second “Black and White” village of the day. The first having been Kingsland.

St Marys Church (12-2-26), another eight-bell tower, was our only ground floor ring of the trip.  The ringing standard was maintained here with Stedman, Rounds and Call Changes a touch of Bob Major and a half course of Yorkshire, which we perhaps should have finished on as a grand finale.

I have to say that this last tower was my least favourite of the day, as I couldn’t quite get the hang of the ropes. Even whilst settling for what I assumed was the safety of the four, I couldn’t quite work out what it was about them I was struggling with. They had been described as “flighty”, but I think I need to re-read my comment above, about there being “no bad bells” for a solution to that conundrum.

And finally, we retired to The White Swan in Eardisland, for a slightly disappointing pint, before heading off home.

And here I make my final points regarding the day.

I think one of the major contributions to the day was the relaxed pace. I have been on tours when we have travelled significantly and tried to get in five or even six towers (“grabs”).

Letting everyone have a chance to ring what they want to ring can be quite difficult to fit in. As a “confirmed” (or perpetual?) beginner these trips sometimes feel a little like Mickey Mouse sneaking in on a meeting of sorcerers.

However, with the help of some timely weddings and a well-planned itinerary, we seemed to get a lot more ringing in and everyone got a good dose of ringing at their own level. The really skilled ringers had time to ring some complex methods, which was a pleasure to observe and listen to, whilst the others were all managed into the mix seamlessly with encouragement and support.

So, a massive thanks from me (and on behalf of everyone else on the trip) to those who organised, contributed and rang on the day. To Rue (the dog) for encouragement up the stairs at the Priory and making me think about how far I stood away from the rope. And to the two unknown brides and grooms who helped with the itinerary timings.  A fine day out.

Eardisland, if you’ll have me, I’ll be back to try and master that number four.

Bruce

* Coincidentally the name of the church in our home village, in Lincolnshire, where I first learnt to ring.