St Mary’s church urgently needs to recruit more people to learn the ancient tradition of bellringing. It isn’t a requirement to be a churchgoer and age is not a barrier. Bell ringing is also very good for the figure: the exercise helps keep you in shape!
We need to train new bellringers while there are still experienced ringers available to teach and ring in a band with them, or the bells of St. Mary’s will eventually fall silent. That would be a tragedy, and given the history of our bells being snatched from us and brought back across the Channel on a regular basis a few centuries ago, we owe it to our forebears to keep them sounding and calling people to church.
We would be delighted to hear from anyone interested in attending a taster session.
Please contact Gaye on 01424 813114 (or email mghardiman@hotmail.com) or ring Anne on 01580 764423 (mobile: 07957 106056). We can assure you of a warm welcome.
[Editor’s note: St Mary’s in Church Square is the Town’s early 12th century Norman church, built to a French design and near the end of the 14th century French raiders torched it and much of the town, taking the church bells with them. The bells were subsequently recovered (violently)]
Photo: Rye News Library