Summer 2025 Redditch

Photos from our outing from Bruce, Dave, Hayley and Ian. Tour report at bottom of page.

St Leonard's Beoley

St Stephen's Redditch

St Peter's Ipsley

Lunch time at Nevill Arms, New End

St John the Baptist, Feckenham

St Peter's Inkberrow

Debrief at the Old Bull, Inkberrow

Holmer and friends Bell Ringing Outing – 2nd August 2025

Route: Beoley → Redditch → Ipsley → Lunch at the Nevill Arms, New End → Feckenham → Inkberrow

Our bell ringing adventure began waiting for a bus. Thank you to Dave for arranging and driving the Minibus.

We arrived to a warm welcome at Beoley (8 bells, 10-2-20). We were greeted by two friendly members of their band and a lovely ring of bells behind a glass screen on an upper mezzanine – a very beautiful setting. A lovely 8 bell tower with a bell slightly odd-struck, giving our ringers a hearing test to keep in with striking

At Redditch (8, 10-3-12), the second tower of the day, things took a different tone. The bells had long drafts and required a box – a challenge for some (aka me!), but all part of the fun. Once we had a few turns we settled into ringing call changes. The bells sounded very loud outside, due to being in a built-up area. The sound of the bells ricocheting off the buildings, is amazing and something I had not experienced before. Interestingly we were told by the tower captain that the buildings do not have planning permission to be taller than the church spire, which makes sense. Hayley doted on a beautiful Lhasa Apso dog owned by the tower captain with an angelic temperament and a beautiful face. Hayley had to be pulled away to ring 🤣.

Next, we headed to Ipsley (6, 9-2-13), where we were thrilled to bump into a runner we’d first seen in Beoley (locally pronounced “Bearly”). He had already clocked 14 miles and still had the energy to take a fabulous group photo for us with big smiles. An open church day was on and they were very complimentary about our ringing..luckily! Beautiful ringing mixed to our abilities. Interesting on leaving we observed a beautiful stainless window with a hidden dove. . The oldest bell is dated back to 1410

After all that activity, we stopped for a well-earned and absolutely delicious lunch at the Nevill Arms in New End. Good food, good company, and plenty of chat about the morning’s towers, and the interesting place mats on the pub tables that had puzzles on them. As a competitive group we rose to the challenge 🧩💪.

Refreshed and recharged, we rang at Feckenham (8, 11-3-24). The session flew by as we moved quickly from rounds into Plain Hunt on 8 – a rare treat for those used to 6-bell towers. It soon became clear who had more experience... and who didn’t 🤣!

Finally, we wrapped up at Inkberrow (6, 10-2-4), where things got even more interesting (and mentally demanding for me!). With a mixed method of touches of St Martin’s and Grandsire – enough to blow anyone’s mind, but done with much laughter and a good dose of teamwork when corrected 🤣

Of course it wouldn’t be a Holmer outing without a pub finish line, a beautiful picturesque pub called The Old Bull Inn. Where we sat outside in the sun, reflecting on our day. Dave does look after us and the beer available on tap made everyone happy 🍻. Cheers.

A brilliant day full of variety of laughs, friendly faces, a furry friend, and memorable ringing. Looking forward to the next one already!

Victoria Hurlow