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| The ancient and traditional
art of bell-ringing is alive and well and being practised regularly at the church of St.
Peter, Coughton. There is a peal of six bells, the weights ranging from 4 cwt. for
thelightest bell which is called correctly "the treble" to 11 cwt. for the
heaviest bell which is called correctly "the tenor." The bells are rung on most Sundays before service and once a month the band (the correct term for the collective ringers) ring a quarter peal: 40 minutes non-stop, comprising 1260 different changes. The bells date from the last quarter of the 17th century and are dated 1686, cast by the well known makers, Bagley. All have inscriptions, some in Latin. |
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The local regular ringers are captained by well known churchgoer and bee-keeper Geoff Sreeves, ably assisted by wife Pat and supported by twin sons Francis and Matthew and daughter Kathryn Latham. Others in the band are Sandra Archer, Jan Lampard and Eric Simpson, the regular tenor ringer.
The efforts of the ringers are well supported by the church, especially keeny by the new incumbent, the Reverend Francis Ballinger and his wife, Gail. The band also ring for weddings and other traditional festive occasions such as Christmas, New Year and Easter.
On the evening of 23rd June 1993 there was a 50 strong party of church leaders from five different continents visiting Coughton Court. They were shown to the church where the band was practising and they listened for some 25 minutes, well impressed and entranced, showing their appreciatioh before they left with a well earned burst of applause.
Special Ring
On Sunday, 25th April 1993, the Coughton band rang a special quarter peal to welcome the naw vicar. and his wife before his first service. The band comprised Geoff. Sreeves, Tony Bamfield, Kathryn Latham, Matthew Sreeves, Francis Sreeves and Eric Simpson, tenor). They successfully rang a quarter peal consisting of 8 different methods including Steadman (which was duly recorded in "The Ringing World").
Handbells
There will be a very rare opportunity shortly for youngsters and anyone else to have the chance to learn how to ring handbells a wonderful healthy pastime. Would anyone interested please contact the Coughton vicar, the Reverend F. Ballinger .
