We were certainly blessed with nice weather on Saturday the 22nd August when the Marsworth Team (and friends!) went out on our annual summer outing , this time to 5 towers in Bedfordshire.

We had chosen towers within a few miles of each other, two six bell towers and two eights. As usual, one of the ART teachers ran the ringing at each tower in turn and tried to make sure that everyone got to ring something within their capability.

This was a first ringing outing for Isobel Monks and Keith Carrington who have joined us most recently, progressing through their L1 of LtR. For them, this was an opportunity to gain experience ringing rounds on different bells and receive plenty of support and encouragement from other ringers.

Ringing at Old Warden

We began at St Leonard’s in Old Warden. This was a very special Church, full of stunning wood carvings. Once we had moved the pews out of the ringing area, we rang rounds, call changes, bob minor, bob doubles, Single Court and some plain hunt. The bells had a wonderful sound, although the slightly stretchy ropes proved to be a little bit of a challenge for some.

Ringing at Southill

Our second tower was 2 miles away, All Saints at Southill. Here we enjoyed another quick look round the Church, then went upstairs and enjoyed the easygoing six bells which were slightly heavier. More rounds, call changes, bob doubles, Single Oxford, Single Court, Bob minor and Plain Hunt were rung.

Team photograph at Southill

The third tower (and the one immediately before lunch!) was the first 8 of the day, another All Saints, at Clifton.  These were lovely, light bells which two of our ringers had visited before as the tower is regularly used by Beds Young Ringers for their monthly practices.  We rang some Plain Hunt Triples, Grandsire Triples, Plain Bob Triples, Rounds and call changes, before heading off for lunch at the appropriately named ‘Five Bells at Henlow’.

Ringing at Clifton

Feeling revived after lunch, we travelled to a heavier going set of bells at St Peter’s in Arlesey. Here, the importance of good handling was demonstrated as the bells responded best to being rung with proper long hand and backstrokes. Once we had gained confidence, we rang some very nice rounds, call changes, bob doubles, Single Court, Bob Minor and St Martin’s doubles.

Ringing at Arlesey

Plaque in the Ringing Chamber at Arlesey

Our last tower of the day was St Mary’s at Henlow, Ruth Monks ran this tower and as well as ringing some methods on the back six, she ended the day by arranging a band to ring rounds on 8 that included only ringers who had been learning since we first started the ART Training Scheme. This included our most experienced people who had started in July 2013 and ringers who began learning to handle a bell just 7 weeks ago. As we finished ringing, Richard Booth announced that we had a special presentation to make – a L2 certificate for Annie Cunningham who has been learning to ring with us since last year.

LtR L2 Certificate Presentation for Annie Cunningham

It is remarkable how much progress has been made by all the ringers since our first ‘learners’ outing’ in autumn 2013 when were mostly rang rounds and some slightly shaky call changes. By 2014, we had progressed to doubles ringing and some bob minor and this year, the new ringers of 2013 were able to help support more recent ringers by providing a strong band round them and standing behind to help.

First ’rounds on six’, at Old Warden

And of course, with 18 ringers joining us on the outing, we made a profit on the day which we have donated to ART in acknowledgement of all the support and help we receive from the organisation.