Out & About December 2017

OA feature

pieces of iron or wood forming or attached to the collar of a draught horse, to which the traces of the harness are attached. They then began tuning their bells more finely to have an accurate fundamental tone and fitted them with hinged clappers that moved only in one plane. The brothers refined the tuning of the bells so that ‘change ringers’ used them to practise their methods without the need of a church tower, thus making them more popular with local residents who previously had to endure hours of ringing practice emanating from the bell towers. Eventually, this type of bell ringing became an art in itself. In the 18th century, larger sets of handbells were cast. “Tune ringing” (ringing melodies and simple harmonies set to music for festive occasions such as Christmas) peaked around the middle of the 19th century. Margaret Shurcliff, a keen handbell ringer,

Graham said: “I started ringing tower bells when I was a little kid, about nine years old. I lived in the country and there was nothing else to do. “I met Bill Butler (who started the Barfield Handbell Ringers) and in 1994 he told me someone was leaving the team. I came along to have a go and I’ve been here ever since. It’s addictive. It’s hard to describe.”

who practiced once a week in his home in Barfield Road – which is how the team got its name. The history of handbell ringing in the UK goes back a lot further than the 1960s though, and the art of handbell ringing is believed to have been traced back as far as 5th century BC, in China.

Graham Hedges conducts the Barfield Handbell Ringers

All you need to be able to do is count to four and tell your left from your right

Dianne’s experience was similar: “I had contacted the team to come and entertain us at the Thatcham Women’s Institute. “I was told by Bill Butler’s wife that they were looking for members, so I came along and have stayed ever since. “I learnt to play the piano when I was at school, but didn’t like to play in front of other people. When I found this group it is the best of all worlds as you are playing in a group, lots of social interaction and you don’t have to practice at home.” Bill Butler, who at 87 years old still rings and still performs with the team, is held in great respect by the Barfield Handbell Ringers. He started the group in 1965 with a team of six,

Graham explains how in the 17th century, cart horses had a bell around their neck to alert people that the carter was coming. The bells were tuned, so it was easier to identify which carter in particular was coming. “Then they were used for practicing change ringing for church bell ringing – much better to be in the warmth of the pub practising changes than in the cold belfry.” In fact, the first tuned handbells were developed locally by brothers Robert and William Cor, in Aldbourne, Wiltshire, between 1696 and 1724. The Cor brothers originally made latten bells (latten is an alloy of copper and zinc resembling brass) for hame boxes – two curved

was awarded a set of 10 bells by the Whitechapel Foundry after completing

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