Church Bells?

[Hoplikeabunny]

I have recently moved house, and my new house is one road along from the village church. I have lived this close to churches before, and have never experienced this, but the church I live near to now seem to ring the church bells at odd times of the night?! Every Tuesday and Thursday they ring the bells constantly from 8pm-10pm (it seems like wedding bells practice or something?), which is a bit annoying, and later than I think is acceptable really, but ultimately not the end of the world, although they have woken my DS up a few times. However, they also ring them really late, and in the early hours of the morning. For example, last night at 11pm they rang (rung...not sure which word is correct here!) them 11 times at 11pm. Then on Monday they rang them at midnight 12 times. I have also sleepily heard them in the small hours of the morning a couple of times.

I don't particularly mind, it's not the worst noise in the world, but it just seems odd, and is a bit annoying?! Also, for some reason church bells at midnight feels a bit creepy, I don't even know why! It is a bit frustrating as my 2yo doesn't sleep that well, and it has woken him up before, but i guess this is my issue.

Am I being unreasonable to find this a bit odd, or is it standard practice in village churches? Maybe i'm just not accustomed to village life yet!

I appreciate that in the grand scheme of things, this is a non-issue!

Yes, there's a long trad of militantly anti-religious bell ringers in our village. One of our current ringers squared off with the vicar in the pub last year, and another is some kind of Druid. I would adore to ring, but the practice happens on a night my husband regularly has to work late, and my baby monitor wouldn't be heard in the belfry, despite probably being within range.

Does anyone on here ring? Do you need quite a mathematical mind (which I don't possess) to keep track of the changes?

I live in a village with a church bellringing team who win loads of awards and competitions. So they have to practice a lot and also ring quarter peals (take about 45 mins) and peals (3 hrs worth) regularly, as well as for church services, weddings and funerals.

I think it is a glorious sound but we also point out to the local town planning committee if they are thinking of building/converting in the village, just so there can be no complaints of "we didn't know" later.

Anyone who doesn't like the bells is just a spoilsport!

Proplelus of course you can complain. But as others have said, OP will probably get used to the chimes and complaining to the vicar is not the friendliest way to introduce yourself.

OP 10pm is late for practice night. 9pm is the usual finish time, leaving plenty of time for the pub, and it is strictly enforced out of consideration for the neighbours. Ditto not starting before an agreed time on a Sunday. At some towers they also ring peals, which involve ringing for 3-4 hours continuously without repeating the sequence. Now that requires understanding neighbours! But some churches are more isolated and/or have noise reduction measures.

I feel guilty if we're ringing really badly on a practice night, but nowhere round here rings later than 9pm, and we've only ever had one complaint (from a new resident).

Last week the government asked all towers to ring for VE day, as the bells had lain silent during WWII. It was quite moving to imagine the sheer relief that the sound of the bells would have brought to people back then. Maybe nowadays not so much!

Egged it does attract mainly sciencey types, especially at the highest levels and uni bands. There's an overlap with lovers of cryptic crosswords and real ale. But you don't have to be mathematical. The most talented ringer I ever met was a history undergrad. Some towers are 'posher' ringers than others, but the huge majority are genuinely welcoming to anyone.

It's a lovely community, with a huge range of ages, and very tolerant of its oddballs! Ringers visit other towers on holiday or tours. The point of weekly practices at your home tower is rehearsing for the Sunday "performance" so you'd be expected to ring for service when you're up to it. Give it a go!

I have never known a ringing pracice go on til 10pm and I have been ringing nearly 40 years. some carry on til 9.15 if the bells are sound controlled so hardly audible outsidee, but 9 is the normal time to finish

They just rang 12 times, who'd have thought?!!

Ring 101

YABU. Completely. It's this sort of attitude which is ruining villages and the countryside.

My father is a keen ringer. His fellow ringers tend towards being quite mathsy and logical, but include plenty of non mathsy types, too.

I live near a Cathedral, and love listening to the practise on Tuesday nights.

Our lot ring between 8 - 10 on a Thursday. And in my home village they do too. And the church clock rings the hour and each quarter. We had quite a few clocks, mostly old, mostly at home, all keeping different times. You get used to it. Just as you do if you are in the centre if eg Oxford. And if you are insomniac as I was for years, it can be quite comforting. Oh good , only another 3 hours till I can get up.

Ringers are great. Slightly eccentric people with an interest in beer, usually. All ages, all social classes, doesn't matter a hoot. More non church goers than church goers IME. And quite a small community. Ie if you turn up in NZ at a church to ring, never having been to that side of the world before, you are bound to find someone who rang with someone you once knew. Or at a church you knew.

Out of interest, how safe is bellringing? Lots of windy staircases, darkness and heavy bells? I am clumsy...

I love hearing the bells of our local church. Any time of the day or night.

You move to a rural setting, things like that often come as standard.

YUBU. Very.

FFS

Re: safety
Darkness isn't an issue in our tower. It is amply supplied with lighting. You do need to be pretty fit (and slim) to get up the steps to the tower, but that will vary between churches. I have sustained some pretty bad blisters and rope burns but that was from poor technique when learning. The pros don't get blisters, as far as I can tell (except maybe if they do 3 hour peals).

The bells can be pretty heavy (again, that varies between towers) so people of a certain age start to struggle. My church is positively recruiting and training a new generation of ringers, varying in age from 14 to mid 40s, as lots of the older ringers are now starting to struggle.

In terms of skills needed, a mechanical mind is wonderful so that you understand what the bells are doing and when. A sense of rhythm and timing is great too. BUT these aren't essential. Enthusiasm and an eagerness to learn are the most important things!

P.S. We're very much wine and prosecco drinkers not beer. And no beards in sight. Almost all of the ringers are female.

I think the initial blisters are due to soft skin as well as inexperience. My dad spent several months in hospital and when he was well enough to go back to ringing, his hands were a mess because he was technically able to ring a peal, but his skin wasn't able to handle a quarter peal.

Standard practice for churches in my experience. Some at other unannounced times.

YABU. Completely. It's this sort of attitude which is ruining villages and the countryside.

You read the thread properly didn't you, upthechimney including this bit...?

Oh goodness no I wasn't thinking of complaining! It's a lovely friendly village and I love it here, I was just confused about the bells! I genuinely had no idea they would ring so much!

Is it chiming the hours throughout the day?

upthechimney- Are you actually kidding?! I was prepared to be told that I'm being unreasonable, that's fine, but ruining the countryside?! How on earth?! Have you rtft? I'm not interested in complaining about it, I have just never lived near a church that does this, so was wondering if it's normal as it feels a bit antisocial.

Ruining the countryside- possibly a bit OTT don't you think?

Soupdragon- To be honest, I couldn't say for definite, but I don't think so? I'm not usually here during the day, but am today so I'll have a listen! I guess I notice it more at night because everywhere else is so quiet, no dog or DC running around!

YABU, but I think you've realised that by now.

When I was growing up and used to stay with my gran in a small village, the church clock rang the quarter hours as well, 24 hrs a day. You get used to it really quickly and it won't wake your child for long - he'll learn to tune out the familiar sound.

Our village church chimes all the quarter hours and hours but, unless you are very close by, you don't hear it because of all the other competing noise. At night, if I go into the garden, I can hear the chimes because it's so much quieter.

Ringing practice is Wednesday night 7 to 9 and, again, I can only hear if I go outside. I never hear Sunday morning service ringing because I'm asleep I'm indoors then. I sometimes hear when they ring in the afternoons for weddings.

I love hearing the bells, I agree with those who think that it's reassuring. And I also recommend The Nine Tailors - one of my favourite Wimsey novels.

When your DC is a bit older, go and join them. Great way of joining in.