TRADITION has it that before 1979, the bells at Holy Cross Church, in Sherston, were last rung to celebrate the Relief of Mafeking in 1900 during the Boer War.

But a new team of bellringers, ranging from a child of eight years old to retired people, have been making great noises in the village since the bells were re-hung eight years ago.

Although part of the village’s parish church has its roots in Norman times, the tower dates from much later.

Chris Bush, the tower captain, told the Standard that in the 18th century the old tower became dangerous and parishioners were scared to go into the church in case the tower fell on them.

In about 1730, it was taken down to the top of the chancel arches and rebuilt to the design of Thomas Sumsion who was paid the then princely sum of £1 and 15 shillings for his work.

Not only have building costs risen dramatically since the mid 1700s but Mr Bush said “In 1748, the church bought a set of bell ropes for 19s 2d. The present cost of a set of ropes is now over £200.”

The parochial church council decided to re-hang the five unsafe bells in 1977 and they also took the opportunity to cast a new treble bell to complete the ring of six.

It was cast by Mears & Stainbank at the Whitechapel bell Foundry in east London.

Last year rang out as an award-winning year for the Sherston bellringers. They were given the Harry Heath Trophy for the tower making the most progress during the year by the Chippenham Branch of the Gloucester and Bristol diocesan Association of Church Bellringers.

Mr Bush said that one of the reasons they got the award was because they rang one whole peal in the early part of 1986.

He explained that a whole peal was made up of 5,040 changes which meant each of the ringers had to ring their bell that amount of times. He said that a whole peal, which was very hard work, would normally take well over two hours to be rung.

At the tower the bellringers have an Ellacombe apparatus, a chiming mechanism which makes it possible for one person to ring all the bells by himself. Mr Bush felt the bells sounded better when they were being run by a team of bellringers.

The Sherston Bellringers perform ‘the exercise’, as it is known, twice on Sundays and they have their practice night on a Wednesday.

Mr Bush pointed out that it took about six months to be able to ring a basic set of rounds and once that had been grasped it was like learning to ride a bicycle.

January 16, 1987