East Lothian Courier | News | FEATURE: Bell-issimo!

Published: Thursday, 17th January, 2008 09:30

FEATURE: Bell-issimo!

By Niall Aitcheson

FOR the uninformed, church bell-ringing conjures up images of Victor Hugo’s tragic character, Quasimodo.

His grotesque deformities force him to spend his life hidden from public view in the spire of a drafty Parisian cathedral, where he laments his unreciprocated love for the gypsie girl, Esmerelda.

No fewer than four movie versions have been made of The Hunchback of Notre Dame since 1923 – featuring such acting legends as Charles Laughton and Sir Anthony Hopkins – as well as an animated Disney production in 1996.

This box office exposure has brought what was once a classic heard-but-not-seen past-time into the spotlight.

Yet, as I discovered during a visit to East Lothian’s only church bell-ringing group, the Hollywood stereotype could not be further from the truth.

On the pull

And there is far more to campanology than simply pulling on a rope.

I have to admit, I had little idea of what to expect when I arrived at historic St Mary’s Parish Church in Haddington on a cold Friday evening to meet members of the Haddington Society of Change Ringers.

Ringing master, Sally Thomas, met me at a side entrance to the nave and we begun the climb up an ancient spiral staircase to the ringing chamber.

The 71 steps left our photographer gasping for breath.

Ducking under a 4ft-tall lintel, we entered a fully enclosed, insulated and carpeted room, where any preconceptions immediately began to disappear.

We found there was heating, electricity, and lighting.

In one corner stood a computer workstation used to teach more complex ‘methods,’ as the bell tunes are known.

And, on a table nearby, there was tea, coffee and biscuits. The home comforts even extended to a large jar of jellybeans, a tin of chocolates and a box of shortbread – festive gifts of thanks from an appreciative congregation.

Indeed, apart from eight ropes dangling through holes in the ceiling and several spare pews lining the walls, there was nothing to suggest that this was a hive of ecclesiastical activity.

Gathered around the circle of ropes was a group of men, women and children who were neither physically deformed nor social outcasts! What they have in common is a commitment to the church, and a strong bond of friendship.

The teamwork involved in bell-ringing means ringers not only practice together, but socialise together. Some even marry each other.

Sally, a 47-year-old civil servant and mother-of-two from New Winton, met her husband while change ringing as a student in Edinburgh.

“Campanology is extremely sociable and builds team work, although I would not recommend it for an office bonding weekend,” she said.

“For most of us it is a natural extension of our church worship. You don’t have to be super-fit to take part, as it is all about technique.”

But before I am allowed to try my hand, a look at the bells is required.

A further 27 steps lead up to the bell chamber, and the sight that awaits is truly impressive.

The giant tenor bell alone weights around half a ton and stands half as tall as a man. During ringing, the bells are flung in full circles on a wheel guided by the ropes below, making it extremely dangerous for anyone to be in the bell chamber when in operation.

Ringers alter the striking order by variations in the pulling sequence to create the tunes to call people to Sunday worship. This is the skill called change ringing, and it undoubtedly helps to be mathematically-minded.

Pinned down

The original three St Mary’s bells were made of pure bronze. They disappeared after the Siege of Haddington in 1547-1549, when an occupying English force sent by Henry V111 was pinned down in the town for 18 months by the Scots and their French allies.

During the longest town siege in British history, the church was largely destroyed by artillery fire. Legend has it that the bells were taken to Durham and melted down to make cannonballs.

It wasn’t till well over 400 years later that bells returned to St Mary’s, installed in 1999 at a cost of £60,000. They were cast from a copper/tin alloy in 1911 for Dunecht House in Aberdeenshire, to commemorate the coronation of King George V.

Due to their size, a large section of the tower roof was removed to allow a giant crane to lower them into position.

It is the only set of full circle bells in the county. The nearest other sets are in Berwick-upon-Tweed and Edinburgh.

Sally explained: “It is far more common for churches in England to have their own bells.The rise of Protestantism under Haddington-born John Knox – who was not in favour of music being played in church – in the 16th century meant that the lost bells were not replaced when Knox had St Mary’s rebuilt in 1561.”

There are 20 members in the society – which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary – who come from all over East and Midlothian to practice every Friday.

As ringing master, Sally likens her role to that of a football manager.

She said: “I have a pool of players from which to fill just eight positions.

Some may be unavailable while we have different levels of skill and experience within the group. I have to choose which are best-suited to the methods we play.”

The veteran of the squad is 80-year-old Bill Dey, from Aberlady. He joined the society with wife Marie, 70, seven years ago.

“Fridays were normally quiet nights in for us, so this is a loud night out,” he said. “The only problem I have is climbing the steps!”

His grandson, Edinburgh and Scotland A rugby centre Matt Dey, once took part in a ringing session; whether his club coach, former England rugby boss Andy Robinson, regards this sort of off-field activity as divine intervention is another matter!

The ‘baby’ of the group is Amanda Soutar, 12, of Floors Terrace, Dunbar.

She got into bell-ringing through her friend, Eleanor Pumphrey, whose sister Jessica,15, and dad Hugh, also ring at St Mary’s.

“I didn’t think it could be so much fun,” she said. “It has certainly grown on me and I would recommend changing ringing to anyone.”

All ringers are volunteers, though they receive a token £7.50 when heralding a wedding.

Sound-proofing

While the sound of the bells inside the Notre Dame tower eventually made poor Quasimodo deaf, the decibel levels at St Mary’s are restricted by sound-proofing measures.

“We have never really had an issue with noise as far as neighbours are concerned,” said Mrs Thomas. “Obviously, you can hear the bells outside, but beyond the churchyard boundary it fades rapidly.”

With that it was time for the moment of truth. And I found the experience unlike anything else I had experienced.

It is certainly not like reefing a sail, although I had mistakenly assumed that bell-ringing would require a fair bit of strength to perform.

“The secret is not to look up or down, but straight ahead,” advised Sally.

“Pull down gently and let the rope take your arms up.”

After a few hesitant ‘cla-aaangs’ I accepted defeat without so much as a simple ding-dong. It obviously takes a practice!

As Mrs Thomas put it: “It is a great alternative to going to the pub. You make a lot of friendships and once you get hooked it becomes a big part of your life.”

Anyone interested in joining the group should contact Sally Thomas on 07707 107730 or Alan Colley on 07768 991702.

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