Hurstpierpoint Bell Ringers Outing 19th June 2010

By Margaret Georgeson

We met at 7.45am at the Rectory on the 19th June for the annual Hurstpierpoint Bell Ringers outing. With the promise of a warm sunny day, we boarded our coach amid lots of chat and the feeling of happy anticipation of a day out to towns and villages in Berkshire.

Our leader Dennis said our first stop would be Chievely Church where we would have coffee and the bells would be rung. We settled back feeling very comfortable, the height of the seats giving us an uninterrupted view over people's gardens and more distant views of our lovely Sussex countryside.

We were soon pulling off the motorway onto narrow country roads through pretty villages. We arrived at Chievely at 9.30; coffee and tea with biscuits served by friendly ladies from the church. Then the bell ringers rang some changes whilst non ringers could watch them ring, or wander round the church and pretty un-spoilt village with chocolate box cottages and well kept gardens. I expected at any moment to see Margaret Rutherford appear with a basket over her arm and Stringer Davis scurrying behind her.

Next village Kintbury. This was where I discovered a "proper" bakers' selling Lardy cake. I think our coach party bought every lardy cake the baker had; warmed in the oven, it is really yummy - forget for once about cholesterol!

Next Hungerford; a peal of bells and find somewhere for a light lunch. Now the fascination of the winding stone steps leading to the belfry had taken over. Before the invention of gas and electric light or heating, did the ringers have lanterns or flaming torches? On a winter's night with the wind howling and the rain lashing down, these men were truly dedicated. As I stood watching, our ringers who had been laughing just before, suddenly become so serious and with total concentration wait for the call "Look to, treble's going, she's gone". They were away, lips moving as they counted their places.

Next stop Lambourn. Time for an ice cream. Then Speen church, mentioned in the Doomsday book. On to Newbury - this was our last church and with the largest peal of 10 bells, where most had had 8.

The bells from each church had a different sound; every church had a slight musty smell of age and a simple beauty that is unique to our English village churches.

We finished our day at "The Spring" Sulhamstead for dinner that had been booked in advance by Dennis. We arrived home about 9.45 after a thoroughly wonderful day.

Can we come next year please?

Margaret Georgeson

If this article has sparked an interest and you would like to know more about bellringing, or if you would like to join next year's Outing on 4th June 2011, please contact Sue Elrick on 01273 832019 or email sue.elrick@dsl.pipex.com