The Website for the St. Nicholas Hurst Bell Ringers
On Thursday, 2nd June 2022, The Hurst Band rang Rounds and Call Changes to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of HM the Queen and in advance of lighting of the Hurst beacon.
This was the first public performance for Janice and Angela, who answered a call to learn in March this year. And welcome back to Chantal and Simon who have returned after a break of 7 years.
On Sunday 6th February 2022, the Hurst band rang Rounds and Mexican Wave in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the accession of HM the Queen
On the 10th April 2021, the tenor was rung half-muffled at midday in memory of HRH Prince Phillip
On the 27th February 2021, the tenor was tolled at midday in celebration of the life of Captain Sir Tom Moore on the occasion of his funeral
Today was the 75th Anniversary of VJ Day marking the surrender of Japan and the end of the Second World War. To mark this occasion, some of the band met at the church this morning. After ringing up, Duncan tolled the tenor for a few minutes until 11 O’Clock, when we observed 2 minutes silence to remember the fallen.
Then Stephanie, Keith, Peter, and Duncan rang rounds and call changes for the 15 minutes allowed under COVID-19 prevention measures, before ringing down. Graham provided instruction and support.
Productive practice this evening. Early session for new learner, Peter with the 4th tied.
After removing the muffles from the remaining bells, and raising the front 6, we spent some useful refresh time in call changes going through the way in which calls are made and how bells slow or speed up according to the change in position.
Very successful long-place Mexican wave followed by a new exercise ringing Twinkle, twinkle little star which is a great way of honing bell control with a purpose.
The Castle provided the usual warm welcome for a post-practice debriefing.
Brilliant to hear all 8 bells ringing half muffled in a mark of respect to those who gave their lives in conflicts past. The ringers were:
Duncan, Jeremy, Stephanie, Louise, Wendy, Graham and Sue with welcome help from Vinni and Dave from Wargrave.
Words of appreciation were received as we mingled in the bright November sunshine after the service.
Bells muffled and ready for Service of Remembrance tomorrow morning. Thanks to Duncan and Jeremy for help fitting the muffles this afternoon.
This evening was fairly well attended as Keith and Stephanie were back from their holiday (albeit somewhat jetlagged having flown in from Kuala Lumpur the day before). Duncan, Jeremy, and Rachel were also present as were Graham and Vinni.
After ringing up (attempting to ring up in peal on the front 4, followed by the 5 and 6) we did some rounds and call changes to warm us up. We then moved to Mexican Wave and plain hunt practice on 4 and 5 for Duncan, Stephanie and Keith. This went quite well with 2 novice ringers hunting at the same time.
We did several goes through ringing Mexican Wave with very few problems before moving to “Dodgy Places Mexican Wave” which was challenging, but fairly successful.
After that we did some more Plain Hunt practice with Stephanie, Keith and Duncan practicing on different inside bells, and then did dodging practice with pairs of bells constantly dodging with each other (so, 1&2, 3&4, 5&6).
We then rang down in peal (or attempted to) and went to The Castle to discuss the practice.
We had a few of the regular band missing this evening due to illness. Graham, Duncan, Keith and Jeremy attended with Vinni and Simon joining us to help.
We started with practicing ring up in peal, followed by a brief attempt to do plain hunt on 3 bells before Vinni and Simon joined us. We then rang rounds and call changes and some Mexican Wave.
To give Jeremy and Duncan some practice moving around in a more complex method, we then practised Whitefield. In this training method, Simon and Vinni (on the 1 and 4 bells) plain hunted whilst Duncan (on the 2 bell) made places to firsts position and back, and Jeremy (on the 3 bell) made places to fourths position and back. Keith covered on the 5 bell to give Duncan a common reference when he was leading.
Keith then did some hunting from the treble to a more complex method.
We then finished by attempting “Dodgy places Mexican Wave”. This is a variation on Mexican Wave where each pair of bells dodges before and after making places. As this was a complex and unfamiliar exercise Graham, wisely, decided to do the exercise on each pair of bells individually, allowing the band to settle back into rounds before calling the next pair of bells.
We then rang the bells down in peal and went to The Castle for a well-earned drink.