Ringing for England

The Ambridge church bells ring out for St George's day today. (Incidentally this is Phil Archer's birthday and that of the actor who played him, Norman Painting.) We asked Libby Alexander of the RInging for England campaign to put the local campanology in the national context

At 6pm on Monday 23 April, over 20,000 bells will be rung by people all over the country to celebrate St George's Day by 'Ringing for England'.

The St George's Day campaign is in its second year. Its aim is to get all the existing 44,000 bell ringers across the nation, together with many new ones, to ring out and make the nation proud of her patron saint.

The particular sound rung from these towers is called Change Ringing, a unique musical genre that was described by Handel as 'the sound of England'.

Bells have been part of our cultural and historical awareness since Christianity first came to these shores. They have rung out on a personal level and on a national level for major events. They ring from the towers of our churches, iconic cultural and architectural buildings that stand in the midst of our towns and villages creating a network of communities.

At one stage the practice of bell ringing was deemed a sort of sport. The pastime of steeple chasing was based on just that, racing from one church spire rising up out of the beautiful countryside to another and back.

Who will be ringing? Well, there will be bells ringing out from St George's Tower at Windsor Castle, from Westminster Abbey to cathedrals, abbeys and priories, from one brave bell at St Chrysostrom in Manchester to ten bells in Warnham, Sussex.

There will be 10 to 14 years olds trying their hand for the first time in Newington next Sittingbourne. In Rushall near Lichfield they will be trying out their newly restored bells for the first time.

Then there are those exceptional ringers who are to try for a 'peal', such as at St Mary's in Wedmore, St George's in Easton in Gordano, and St Mary's in Kidlington, Oxon. A peal is a non-stop change ring for three whole hours.

And the date? It is 23 April. Why? Because that was when St George was martyred, his death decreed by Diocletian for refusing to give up Christianity. He was a brave young man and very worthy of being hailed a patron saint. He shares this date with that of another well-known English icon, William Shakespeare.

Anyone can learn to ring no matter what your age, so if you wish to know more do go to our website.

Libby Alexander represents the Ringing for England campaign

• The audio clip is of a plain course of Stedman Triples, rung by at St Michael's, Kirby-le-Soken, Essex. Recorded by Bryan Morrissey and used with permission
• More about Ringing for England

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