Belfry News – Page 2 – Wimborne Minster Bell Ringers

Striking Success

May 24, 2022 wimborneringers

Wimborne Minster win the Salisbury Guild 8- bell Striking Competition.

Following a two-year gap whilst the competition was suspended, the Wimborne band regained the Guild Trophy at the competition held at Broadchalke on Saturday 14th May. Ringing the test piece of 160 changes of Plain Bob Major the band beat teams from Calne, Melksham, Dorchester and West Dorset to gain first place for the fifth time in the last six competitions.

The team had practised the test piece each Tuesday at Wimborne for the past few weeks, but the bells at Broadchalke provided an extra challenge and with only a five-minute practice slot immediately before the performance it took a while for the band to settle into a steady and regular rhythm. The judges commented that the ringing improved considerably during the second half of the touch, and finished in good style.

The photograph shows the band displaying the trophy with the Rector before ringing for the Parish Eucharist the next day.

(l – r) Max Knight, John Riley, Hilary Child, Robert Child, Reverend Andrew Rowland, David Warwick, Rosemary Duke, Harry Blamire and Flick Warwick.

Belfry News

Full Ring of Bells in Time for Easter

April 17, 2022April 17, 2022 wimborneringers

Repairs to the 7th Bell at Wimborne Minster were completed on 11th April, in time for the Easter Day morning and evening services, and a Peal Attempt on Easter Monday.

The photos show the process of re-installation of the bell, by Whites of Oxford, assisted by the Minster Steeplekeeping team.

Belfry News, Bell Ringing, Video

Bell damaged at Wimborne Minster

March 25, 2022March 27, 2022 wimborneringers

Photo of the 7th bell with broken gudgeon

Tuesday’s practice night at Wimborne came to an abrupt halt after Alan, who was ringing the 7th bell, realized something was very wrong:
“It was like a bad dream. The bell was dropping, no matter how hard I pulled”. Further investigation revealed that the bell had not just “dropped” into its normal resting position, mouth down, it had well and truly dropped askew out of its normal position due to a broken gudgeon.

The diagram shows that the bell’s “gudgeon” is equivalent to the axle on a wheel, so a break here puts the bell out of action and, due to the weight of the bell, at 350kg equivalent to a large touring motorbike, puts a strain on the surrounding components.

Not only was it unringable, but the bell was teetering in an unstable position, so a team of the ringers led by Rob Child, the Steeple Keeper, worked carefully to secure the bell in place using ropes, prior to a bell hanger from White’s of Appleton being called in to inspect and advise.

The Bell Hanger attended on Wednesday morning, safely removed the bell from the frame and took the cracked stay, and damaged wheel and headstock back to Oxford for inspection. The Steeple Keeper is awaiting the results of the inspection in the next few days.

A decision about whether to continue ringing the remaining 11 bells, or to suspend ringing until the 7th is reinstated, is expected at the weekend.

Meanwhile, if you miss the sound of the bells – here is our new video of the Ringing for the Queen in February: