Church bells

Actually just had a thought, it's absolutely mad. Could you actually see if they would let you join in and start to learn the art of bell ringing? Would participating in the noise help you or would it make it worse? Sorry I'm not trying to diminish what you are going through, it's just that if you are in a hostel I'm not sure you are able to actually get away from the noise.

Hope you sort things out soon x

having grown up in the shadow of a 900+yr old church, who's bells have rung every week without fail (barring breakdowns and emergency situation) for over 300 years.. yabu.

I'm sorry you're finding it a problem, but they're part and parcel of life, and the hours you're giving are perfectly normal.

Waking up to the sound of them every sunday, and hearing them peal after the weddings, and during bell ringing practice was beautiful and i miss it.

Try and learn to love it.

Don't be a twat.

YABU - af course they should be allowed (sic) to play their bells - the churches have often been in situ for centuries and were there when you purchased your property. Bit like complaining of noice from the pub next door of the motorway/dual carriage way that were present when you purchased your home 🤦🏽‍♀️. I appreciate that you may not have been aware of this when moving into your home, but it’s one of those things you need to accept is out of your control - like the traffic noise, or the sounds of cats squalling in the night. The worl cannot change for every individual’s idiosyncrasies. I’d put some music on loud or invest in noise excluding headphones if it really is an issue.

And as a non church goer, I love the sound. It feels very specifically ‘English’. Think Miss Marple and Midsomer Murders…

@MaloryJones the head phones I mentioned are over ear ones can be used as noise cancelling with or without listening to music or the noise cancelling can be turned off. They seem to completely block out high pitched noises, so unloading the dishwasher you can't hear anything whereas hoovering you can here a deeper hum. In terms of watching TV I would say they aren't suitable unless watching alone on a device you can connect to.

"Am i being unreasonable to think churches should not be aloud to ring those damn bells for hours on end a few times a week it not very christain disturbing neighbours etc for several hours"
Yes, you are being unreasonable.

"Due to circumstances didnt have a choice on location and was unaware they would ring for several hours at a time due to anxiety and stress it drives me mad and at times feels like torture last Sunday was 5'5 hours of it non stop it over 3 hours twice a week"
Sorry to sound so harsh, but the stress and anxiety are yours and yours alone. To expect everyone else in your community to lose the sound of bells because you are anxious is not just unreasonable, surely you can see it's also extremely self-centred. Many people find pleasure in the sound of bells. Many people find comfort in the sound of bells. Many people just accept them as part of their physical landscape/soundscape akin to traffic noise. Do these people's wishes matter less than yours? Are they less important people than you?

You are in a hostel and have anxiety, there's a whole big backstory there. By choosing to focus on the church bells, you are also choosing not to focus on why you are in a hostel and why you have anxiety. They SHOULD be your focus.

Your presence in that hostel is definitely not permanent and should hopefully be short-term as you move to a more permanent home. The bells ringing is not going to change nor should you upset others by trying to change it, especially when your presence is temporary (and hopefully fleeting).

Instead, change your approach to the bells. There's two regular sessions. Regular. Predictable. Sunday 08.00 - 11.00, you could get up early and go out (I found walking quieted my mind and my worries when I had depression). Or you could wake to the sound and feel part of the community. Or you could lie there and seethe and - well, revel in how this is sooo bad for your anxiety. It's up to you. Thursday 19.00 to 22.00 you could be elsewhere. Or drowning the sound by watching TV. The "whenever they can in between" you could put yourself in their shoes and imagine their concentration on getting it right, imagine what they're practicing for, is it for the regular sessions or is there an upcoming wedding / funeral / Saint's Day for which there is a specific different peal?

I think it would do you good to think yourself out of your own head and into the heads of others. Deal with your anxiety and homelessness, the bells are neither here nor there in the overall scheme of things.

Currently listening to our local ringers playing ‘there is a green hill’ (I think. It’s a bit hit and miss 😂), I love it.

@Isxmasoveryet am so sorry you are in such a tricky position. Hopefully some of the suggestions on here around noise cancelling headphones etc are helpful.

About last weekend, it was Remembrance Sunday. It was unlikely to be 5 hours solid but the reality is that as a Christian country we mark special occasions with Bell ringing. Weekly practice sessions are common. But may be on key dates you could plan to go out for a few hours so you don't have to listen the whole time. Less easy to predict are things like weddings and funerals.

I like our local church bells.

Local lore says that the composer Handel visited our town and he liked the church organ so much that he bought it from the church and also donated the bells.

i hope you manage to come to terms with the bell ringing op

Unfortunately the need to practice so that when their (usually Christian) congregation have an event they are perfect. Wouldn't want to be a bride exiting the church when the bell ringers cock it up

Sorry @Isxmasoveryet but you are being unreasonable.

I suspect your current situation is the reason this is aggravating you so much and I am sorry things are complicated for you. But it does feel like you are lashing out at things that deflect from your problems.

What sort of help do you suggest the OP gets? Her GP may prescribe medication but, if she is in temporary accommodation, it may be that she doesn’t have a GP.

The best help for her anxiety would be to move into permanent accommodation. I would be anxious if I were living in a hostel.

I love that film

I think posters do get that op is in a really difficult situation, and is in a hostel.

However, rather than appreciation that she has a roof over her head she's moaning about a really normal part of life.

It may well be that she's channelling her understandable distress at her situation into something external.

But the church bells are fine and not the problem

Wow
Neighbour is a CF

People have been moaning that the country is fast going to the dogs for centuries. Strange that it has never reached them.

Church bells are part of this country's traditions. If you hate them dont live near a church. This sounds like my new neighbour from London who wants me to cut my trees down because they attract noisy birds (quiet Somerset village)
I said absolutely not and get evils everytime I run into her.

Nowadays bellringing isn't necessarily anything to do with religion. Plenty of ringers never go to church, they ring because they enjoy it. It is difficult and challenging, but very rewarding when you get it right; and it's also quite a nice way to get to know people in your area. They ring for services as a sort of quid pro quo to the church for letting them use their bells.

If you're going to object to bellringing because a few people don't like it, then logically you should object to, for instance, big sports matches which are way more inconvenient for people in the area of the relevant sports grounds.

The simple fact is that we should live and let live. Most people like the sound of bells which usually are only rung for quite short periods anyway, and in general it's very easy to avoid if you don't like it.

This is a really kind and nice response.

OP I chose YABU but after reading you had no choice, and you are likely already stressed out, I do feel for You.

Hopefully you will be rehoused soon.

Seems like a you problem

Another example of why this country is fast going to the dogs. You are being totally unreasonable.

If you think this post makes you look smart - it doesn't.

one will be Sunday service, one is practising. Church was there well before you, and whilst you have said you had no choice I suggest you contact whoever is sorting your accommodation and ask to move

@Livelovebehappy doesn’t excuse your first post though