Wimborne Minster is dedicated to St. Cuthburga – sister to King Ina, King of the West Saxons. St. Cuthburga founded a Benedictine nunnery in Wimborne in c. A.D. 705.
There have been bells in Wimborne Minster since 1456 and the Wimborne Minster Society of Church Bell Ringers has been ringing since its foundation in the year 1883. These pages describe the bells and show a little of the life of the society.
Becoming a ’12’
“This is not intended as a criticism of the present tower captain, but why is the town being inflicted with so much ringing on the front (Phrygian) eight at the moment?”
So asked one of our most long-standing (forty years) ringers at the Bellringers’ AGM in February 2011.
“I need more men” was the captain’s response and Canon John Holbrook (from the Chair) quickly intervened to cool any potentially rising conflict. ‘What do you require to resolve this unhappy situation?’ An extra bell to create a new light eight was the solution and so began the campaign to augment the 1911 Gillett and Johnston ring of ten which was so admired for its musical and historical qualities.
After a little more thought and discussion, it was agreed that three new bells on top of the present ring would be a better solution, giving a light eight with the current sixth as tenor (8 cwt), which would be ideal for teaching purposes and for when the whole band was not present, and a full ring of twelve (29 cwt) which could be achieved without interfering with the original Gillett and Johnston ten. Trowbridge in Wiltshire is the only other ring of twelve in the Salisbury Diocese and Christchurch Priory the only other ring of twelve in Dorset, and 2011 seemed to be a provident centenary year to effect the augmentation.
Whites of Appleton, who had refurbished the bells and fittings in 2006, were invited to oversee the installation and they confirmed that it was possible to extend the frame to keep all thirteen bells at the same level. Whitechapel held the old Gillett profiles and were confident they could match the tone of the bells and so the band set about raising the £58,000 required.
John Holbrook had by now left Wimborne to become Bishop of Brixworth, but not before intimating that money might be forthcoming for such a prestigious project at the Minster, and the Fabric Committee under the dynamic leadership of Steve Burrows gave full support. Robert Child, our steeple-keeper, was appointed project manager giving unstintingly of his time and experience to keep things moving. Two of the new bells were given in memory of recently departed loved ones, the treble by The Friends of the Minster in memory of Sir Michael Hanham and the sharp second bell (for the new Blount eight) by David and Felicity Warwick in thanksgiving for the lives of Clive and Elizabeth Blount whilst the third was donated by the Wimborne Minster Bellringers. Further funding was raised from the Llewellyn Edwards Bell Repair Fund (Salisbury Diocesan Guild), the East Dorset Branch and the Wimborne Minster Preservation Trust.
The bells were cast at Whitechapel on 17th February 2012 on the same day as Elizabeth and Philip were cast for the Garlickhythe peal which was to become famous for travelling on the barge along the Thames at the front of the procession to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The Rector Vanessa Herrick joined Steve Burrows and five of the ringers to watch the casting in the foundry. Once the bells had cooled down and been transported up to Appleton near Oxford more members of the band went to see the three new bells and check that they sounded the correct notes.
After a long summer wait whilst we continued to ring the ten so as not to disappoint too many brides and grooms, a date was finally fixed for the installation to begin in early September and members of the band were mobilised to clear the belfry, help with the manual work, provide accommodation and refreshments for the bellhangers and take photographs. This self-help reduced the cost of the project by over £2,500. Firstly the stonemason was employed to create the fixing places for the frame extension, the treble and second were removed from the tower and taken to Appleton to exchange their headstocks for the new treble and sharp second. The new bells arrived at the Minster in time for Baptism in the morning service on 15th September, duly decorated with flowers from Wimborne in Bloom medallist Christine Oliver!
By the end of the following week the bells were ready to ring and we were not disappointed. With the help of Graham Clifton and James Haseldine (Whites very gifted, able and necessarily patient-with-amateurs bellhangers) we tested the peal out with a bob course of Grandsire Cinques and the bells sounded magnificent. Recent practices and Sunday ringing have successfully brought round courses of Stedman Cinques and Yorkshire Maximus and the tower captain has been heard to observe that they make her smile every time she hears the twelve! The front eight also are a delight and easy to handle.
The first peal on the 12 was dedicated by The Bishop of Sherborne on Sunday 25th November at 6.30pm.
Wimborne Minster Bell Ringers 