Clocking on for a spot of bellringing

CAMPANOLOGY – it may not ring bells with some but it’s a practice very much alive in Teesdale.

Volunteers and supporters of St Mary’s Church, in Middleton-in-Teesdale, have worked hard to raise money for its roof and protect its structure with much fundraising still to do.

Its northern wall is home to embedded stones dating back to the medieval era and its contemporary stained glass windows are a nod to the upper dale’s later farming heritage.

But perhaps the most striking hidden gem is its bell tower.

Saved from the elements at the turn of the millennium, it dates to the 1500s and boasts close to a dozen keen bell ringers for Sundays, weddings and funerals.

And it’s one of only two free-standing bell towers in Britain still making a sound.

Bellringer Moyra Wilkinson says: “There used to be many bell practices here. Ernie Craggs did it for 10 or 12 years. Nobody is chief bellringer really – we just need to be organised.

“We don’t have that many people and we need three more. If we have a dozen that means we are all ringing once a month.”

The ten or so volunteers work on rotation every Sunday morning and practice on an ad hoc basis.

Villager David Moore can remember hearing the bells through his childhood. He adds: “When I was in the choir in the 50s I always thought I’d have to give those a ring.”

But the bells rang out long before Mr Moore. Its treble has sounded since 1557 when it was donated by then rector Dr William Bell, who was at the helm from 1549 to 1559.

The detached bell house was built on higher ground so that the toll would sound over the low-slung rooftops of the houses below.

It was also cheaper than erecting a great big tower on the church itself. However, it can sometimes be a struggle to hear them on Bridge Street and towards the bottom of the village if the wind is blowing the wrong way.

The second bell and the tenor bells were originally tuned as a ring of three but the advent of the 17th century brought “full circle ringing”.

This system was devised when ringers discovered a larger arc when swinging bells would offer more control.

Wooden bell wheels, headstocks and ropes helped arrange the chimes with ropes passing down to the ringers.

Youngsters from the Brownies and the village school have visited the tower.

A guest bell ringer even offered his own tunes to the group when passing through.

“The chap was staying at a bed and breakfast and he was really enthused by the place,” says Mrs Moore. “He could not believe it.”

Mr Moore adds: “He gave us different tunes but we kind of got lost with that.”

But back in the late 1990s, nobody had heard the bells for years and the building was falling into a decrepit state. Restoration work began in 1999 thanks to a funding boon.

One of the cracked bells was welded and fixed, all three were rehung and the bells were rejigged to ease the load on the wooden frame.

Nowadays the tower rings “half circle” to ease the strain on the structure but the only problem with the bell frame design is it is tough to ring out a toll at funerals.

“We hit it with a hammer,” adds Mrs Wilkinson.

St Mary’s bell tower boasts ringers from as far away as Scunthorpe who give up 15 minutes when they’re in the village on a Sunday.

Unlike other clubs with fixed practice sessions, the informal grouping is happy to set up a session for anyone who is interested at a time which suits them.

Mrs Wilkinson says: “The commitment is not great. If there is a service, be it a wedding or a funeral, and we’re wanted, we will ring.”

And whisper it quietly – volunteers needn’t be church members nor particularly religious to do their bit.

To find out more or to become a bellringer, contact Mrs Wilkinson on 01833 640544.