Church Bells

Mon 26 Jan 2015, 18:49

Robert, Never ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.

Fri 23 Jan 2015, 15:49

Have just seen this as I am on holiday.
Robert I am pleased to say that in February it is an old tradition to ring the bells at 11 at night and at 6 in the morning for the first week. As it will be completely impossible for you to sleep through this please come along and join in the fun.
If you learn to ring then you can always annoy other newcomers to the Town!
You can of course chose your favorite bell and I find the tenor (the lowest tone and the loudest) is the best

Fri 23 Jan 2015, 12:57

I think the great thing about "Robert Walker's " post is the reactions it gets from some people about white settlers etc. hilarious.

Fri 23 Jan 2015, 10:53

i moved up from London back in 1980, accepted the church bells, horse deposits, cows mooing, deers rutting, owls ahootin, funny big wheeled vehicles on the roads Street fairs and other festivals but has anyone mentioned to Mr Walker about the "Wicker man" ritual,

Thu 22 Jan 2015, 18:35

It would be a wasted skill to learn. I'm otherwise engaged on Sunday mornings, playing the organ - another vanishing craft. Which is why I never have; I've always been elsewhere.

Thu 22 Jan 2015, 18:21

Mark, why don't you go along then ? As wife of the vicar before the last I can testify to the fact that they are a lovely lot of people and very welcoming.

Thu 22 Jan 2015, 17:28

If it is, it's a hoot. I've always wanted to learn to ring.

Thu 22 Jan 2015, 16:41

Is this a wind up to advertise the fact that the Bell Ringers are looking for new members to join their jolly band?

Thu 22 Jan 2015, 13:24

but I haven't even started on the mud on the roads!

Thu 22 Jan 2015, 08:51

"Robert", you have had your fun now and you've given us all lots of amusement - thank you. As a forum regular, you do however know that we ask people to post under their real name and Robert Walker is not yours.

Still, if you turn up to bell-ringing practice on a Wednesday evening at 7.45, I'll promise not to tell anyone who you are.

Thu 22 Jan 2015, 08:14

We managed to get a club near us in London to close early. I don't see why that should not apply here?

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 22:11

I note there is still no response to all these replies from Robert.

Was he being serious or was this just irony, which can often be totally missed in the written word.

It would be good to know, so come on Robert; tell us!

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 21:38

Owl hooting, deer rutting, bird scarers banging, combine harvesters working into the night.... Who ever said the countryside was quiet has never lived there...

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 21:25

And don't forget Street Fair in September - Live bands in the evening in Church Street

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 20:30

Oh my life, another 'City Boy', don't we just love them! While we are on a roll, let's not leave out the Sheep bleeting/Cows moo-ing & dogs barking, & the horses doing their stuff in the road, mind that one Robert, it will get in the tread of the Audi's tyres!!! Obviously the edition of Country Living you read while sipping your Pymms in the wine bar didn't have any pictures of animals in it that month!

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 20:00

Mike, don't forget the Wilderness bell-ringing festival in August, too. It's a great chance for young folk from the big cities to swarm to Charlbury and ring their bells, sometimes until 2am.

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 19:07

I love it when people move here from the cities without knowing anything about the traditional Easter ring. Ninety six hour of uninterrupted ringing over the entire Easter weekend. Many towns seem to have lost this tradition but it's one of the reasons I was drawn to Charlbury.

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 19:00

We used to live on the same level of the church tower at top of church street. You get used to the bells eventually.

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 17:32

I think you might have hit on something there, Mike.

Certainly I worry that the church bells are not obvious enough. As it is, they only chime every 15 minutes; the church building, which was only put up as recently as the 12th century, is small and easily missed; people might not have spotted that there are roads called Church Street and Church Lane; and the pub called "The Bell" could be a misspelling of the word used to describe a pretty lady, I suppose. And the news story about Charlbury's bells was only printed in Metro, the Independent, the Telegraph, the Daily Mail, and on the BBC News website - perhaps these aren't available in London.

Maybe the bell-ringers should practise twice a day in case anyone else hasn't noticed them?

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 17:30

I'd like to propose that we rename The Bell to The Damper. The sign should be in neutral colours please.

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 17:30

You really couldn't make it up could you. Is this an early April Fool??

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 17:24

Having moved to Charlbury some years ago (from a city) expecting entirely normal town sounds, I have been dismayed to have to put up with Church bells being almost inaudible at the weekend and even during the week. Is this the case all year round and has anyone considered a committee to look into sound amplification or some such action?

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 17:19

Yet another "white settler" wanting a chocolate box living, it don't happen in the country mate!!

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 17:15 (last edited on Wed 21 Jan 2015, 17:18)

I'm sure such a committee would work like the clappers. Perhaps it could be chaired by 'Camp Ann', Ollie Gee and other belles of the community.

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 17:06

Just wait until the birds get going on their Dawn Chorus!!

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 14:58

Hardly a ringing endorsement.

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 14:57

This could cause a real ding dong in Town!

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 14:30

Or 'bats in the belfry'

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 14:25

I hope it is Richard, otherwise someone has dropped a clanger! :-))

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 14:13

Please tell me this is a wind-up...

Wed 21 Jan 2015, 14:08

Having recently moved here (from London) expecting a quiet life I have been dismayed to have to put up with Church bells waking us up at the weekend and even disturbing us during the week. Does this really go on all year round and has anyone considered a committee to look into sound dampening or some such action?