We ring for all Sunday services and have
a weekly (Tuesday) practice night.
We aim to produce the most musical sound that we can. We aim for perfect timing and no clashing, but bearing in mind that we also have to teach learners at our evening practice! Bell ringing is a team activity that stimulates the brain and helps you to keep fit - it also makes a glorious sound! Many consider ringing to be their contribution to church life, some do extra ringing elsewhere e.g. other church’s meetings and outings, for the pure pleasure it brings. Learning a few simple methods (tunes) allows ringers to join in with other bands in towers around the world. It is a tradition that visitors are always made welcome.
The origins of change ringing lie in the sixteenth century when church bells began to be hung with a full wheel. This gave ringers control of their bell, which allowed sets of bells (rings) to be rung in a continuously changing pattern. Music is created by ringing the bells to a defined sequence of changes known as a method.
Methods, (our music) is like following a journey on a map from the most simple “journey”, say on 5 bells to highly complicated compositions on 12 bells.
For more information on Change Ringing Click go to the CCCBR Site. (See below)
Peals and Quarter Peals
For some Sunday evening services, and to improve our ringing we ring quarter peals which means ringing for ¾ hour non stop. Peals are for very special occasions and last approx 3 hours - out of consideration for locals we only allow a few peals each year.
Ringing/teaching advice at other local towers.
Our ringers help out other local towers with extra ringers if they are short, mainly for weddings.
We have helped to form and train new bands at Stevington, Carlton and Bletsoe.
Souldrop’s 3 bells and Knotting’s single “clock” bell can only be chimed, but have been inspected and where necessary helped with maintenance and newer ropes.
Teaching is a very time consuming task, requires great skill and it is particularly difficult recruiting, training and keeping together a team from scratch.
Most of this hard work has been thanks to our Captain Pat Albon plus other experienced Sharnbrook and district ringers.
North Bedfordshire
Association and the National Central Council of Church Bell Ringers (CCCBR)
Our local North Beds Association runs regular monthly meetings, occasional coaching days and an annual contest called a Striking Contest. This involves ringing for 5 minutes with the most perfect rhythm, and with no mistakes. Neutral judges mark the faults, the winners and runners up represent our district in the county finals – we sometimes get to the finals - but Kempston band always seem to win!
The CCCBR is a voluntary body which co-ordinates national bell ringing. It produces for example publicity and teaching leaflets, videos, and maintenance and conservation advice. It liaises with English Heritage etc. Some ringing societies (e.g. College Youths) are more than 300 years old and form the core of ringers for national occasions e.g. the Coronation, Royal Weddings, national Funerals.
There is a weekly magazine called “Ringing World” which is available worldwide and can be purchased by Towers and individuals. There is a biannual Ringing Road-show - this is a great jamboree for all suppliers and ringers. Portable bells on lightweight scaffolding are popular for “come and try it”!
See also 'Dove's Guide' for a comprehensive encyclopaedia of UK Church Towers and their bells.