Bellringing at St. Martin’s, Bremhill
Bremhill parish church bells are usually rung weekly before each Sunday service. The volunteers who ring the bells work as a team to try to make the sound pleasant. The team belongs to the Calne branch of the Salisbury Diocesan Guild of Ringers.
Team members need to be reliable, to have a sense of rhythm & reasonable co-ordination. Bell ringing requires skill rather than strength. You do not need to be strong or fit to ring most of the bells – it is a form of gentle exercise. Ideally all 6 bells are rung, with one person ringing each bell. We welcome people aged about 13 to 70+ whether they are new recruits or lapsed bell ringers. We provide free training. We welcome all people whether they live in the parish or nearby. The volunteers are not required to attend church services.
Bremhill church has 6 bells which are rung in the traditional English style which means each bell rotates 360 degrees each time it makes a sound – when the bell stops rotating & the clapper hits the bell. The bells were tuned on a lathe in 2001 & the mountings improved. The heaviest bell weighs about 17.5 hundredweight ie 870 kilos.
Bells are made of 77% copper & 23% tin. The oldest bell was made (cast) in 1685 and the most recent in 1826. There is written evidence that 6 bells were cast for Bremhill church in Bremhill parish in 1685 – possibly inside the church! Do contact us to join our team!
Ken Webb 01249 760682 ken44webb@gmail.com