Thaxted has a ring of eight bells, with a tenor weighing 15 hundredweight. Of the present bells, the oldest (six) was cast in 1734 by Thomas Gardiner, the treble, two and the tenor in 1778 by Mears, and the remaining four in the late 1940s by Gillett and Johnston. These four were given particular emblems and inscriptions - three is the Justice bell, five is the Peace Bell, and seven the Craft bell. Four is the Dance bell, reflecting the tradition of Morris dancing in Thaxted, and carries the words: 'I ring for the general dance'.
Thaxted has a ground floor ring, and a long (80 foot) draught. The bells are also a little difficult for the ringers to hear, but a sound system is in place.
Today the bells are rung on most Sundays ahead of the 10.00 service. We have regular practice nights every Tuesday and the bells are also rung for weddings and from time to time by visiting ringers.
Please contact
Stephen Loeber
(Tower Captain)
thaxtedbellringers@gmail.com
or
Mark Ridgway
(Tower Secretary)
thaxtedbellringers@gmail.com
if you have any further queries or would like to arrange to come and ring here. We remain keen to recruit new or experienced ringers and training can be arranged.
Thaxted church handbell ringers meet every Tuesday 9.30-11am to practice. They are looking to extend this to an evening session if new members would be interested. They ring for various organisations when requested such as other churches, schools, care homes, W.I.s etc. The team have a set of bells originally donated to the church in Fr. Jack Putterill's time. Recently they have received a grant from 2 charities managed by the EssexCommunity Foundation to enable the to purchase another set. Handbell ringing dates back to the 17th century developed to assist tower bells but over time they have developed to become a musical art in their own right.
For further information please contact
Margaret Caton or the TTSRH Administrator
admin@ttsrh.org
