Bells are a key feature of Christmas. You cannot walk down
the street without seeing them lit up high on houses, adorning cards or
hanging from wreaths on front doors. They ring out from the
shops and feature in advertisements. So what could be more
natural than to feature bells and bell-ringing as part of a special
‘Sussex Christmas’ theme in the week after
Christmas at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum at Singleton near
Chichester.
A chance meeting last Summer with the Museum’s Director,
Richard Harris, led to him saying he would love to have some bells
ringing during their Christmas open days. His original
thought had been handbells but when the Bell Meadow mini-ring was
described he got really excited and invited the Association to have
pride of place on the day after Boxing Day.
The ringers of Sussex are not ones to refuse a challenge and readily
accepted. There would be many family visitors on the day and
it presented a great opportunity to publicise bellringing and the work
of the Association. A portable mini-ring and an exhibition
should fit the bill, both were used to going out to fetes and open days
and should not involve too much effort at such a busy time of the
year. A meeting was arranged with the museum staff to discuss
the details and it was only then that the full extent of the commitment
became clear.
The exhibition was to be held in The Gridshell, a superb and unusual
building constructed using a grid of green oak laths, some as long as
120 feet. It is VAST, in fact big enough to build a house
inside, and there were to be no other exhibitors. The Sussex
County Association were the main feature of the day and, with an
estimated 1000 people expected to visit the museum on that day, the
whole project took on an entirely new dimension. The
Singleton Christmas Roadshow was born.
Ringers are known for the diversity of their skills and for their
enthusiasm and both were employed in full measure to make the day a
huge success. The 27 December dawned dry but dull.
The vans and cars arrived early to unload mountains of gear.
Groups of people were all over the Gridshell setting up bells or
stalls, borrowing string or screwdrivers, hanging the banner and laying
down the carpet for the games.
A quarter peal on the Bell Meadow mini-ring began the day, the rope
makers first made ropes for the frog racing before going on to make
ropes for a chiming apparatus, the dumb bell and simulator were kept
busy, the handbell team demonstrated change ringing, the exhibition
showed off its expanded range of picture boards with topics such as
‘How a Bell is Cast’, ‘Ringing the
Changes’, ‘How Ropes are Made’,
‘How Bells are Rung’, plus an array of artefacts
such as half a wheel and a clapper. To keep the youngsters
busy there was also Bell Hoopla, ‘Get the Ball in the
Bell’ and the frog racing which was a huge success.
Frog racing – you may ask what that has to do with
bellringing? Coordination, the use of ropes and of course, as
one of the ringers pointed out, you don’t have to mind making
a fool of yourself in public! In the afternoon the Slinfold
Handbell Team arrived and entertained the ever-growing crowds to some
Christmas tunes. Then as the light faded the day was finally
rounded off with everyone singing Christmas carols, accompanied by
Peter Blackman on the electric keyboard.
It was a great event and, at such a busy time of the year, a credit to
all those involved. Hopefully a few more people from Sussex
and around will have gained a fuller appreciation of bells and
bellringing.If you have access to a good internet connection, you will
be able to
view the five minute film on bell ringing. This forms part of
the BBC Southern Counties 48 hours campaign, highlighting the varied
hobbies and interests in Sussex and Surrey.
Geoff Rix and Val
Atkins
Bell Meadow at Singleton Museum
1260 Grandsire Triples
