Latest News 2013

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As ringers we do all sorts of things that make our hobby interesting and rewarding, find out what we have been doing by browsing this page. We have archived news from previous years on separate pages for: 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012


New Year's Eve - Ring in the New

Following the well established tradition in the village of Ecclesfield the bells of our Church were rung to say goodbye to the old year and to ring in the New Year. We rang from 11.40pm up to 11.55pm then waited listening to the radio so that as Big Ben struck the hour our tenor bell also was rung 12 times. Following the usual firing off of party poppers we rang in the New Year until 12.15. Bells lowered and sherry glasses drained we locked up to the sounds of revelling and fireworks.

25/12/13 - Ringing at Christmas

The bells were ringing before the Christmas Day Parish Communion this morning. All 10 bells ringing to Plain Bob Caters, Grandsire Caters and Plain Hunt on 10. Other methods were Grandsire Triples and Plain Bob Major. 3 of our team then went on to join ringers at Wortley to ring for their Christmas Morning Communion.

Yesterday evening we rang for the Christmas Eve Service of Carols and Lessons and some of our ringers then went on to ring at Barnborough later in the evening.

15/12/13 - Quarter Peal

After the morning service a Quarter Peal was rung as a thanksgiving for the life of Nelson Mandella. 1260 Grandsire Triples in 47 minutes. More information.....

10/12/13 - . Sheffield Branch Ringing Meeting at Ecclesfield

Our team joined ringing friends from the Sheffield Branch of the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers for an evening of ringing on our 10 bells at Ecclesfield. Afterwards we enjoyed a bring and share supper in the Church. The evening finished with a short business meeting. Monthly ringing meetings are held by the Branch at different churches in the Sheffield and Rotherham area and it is an opportunity to meet friends, have a ring at another tower and catch up on news.

10/11/13 - Ringing for Remembrance Sunday

The bells were rung half muffled before the Sunday Morning Remembrance Service and again after the service. Prior to the Evening Service a Quarter Peal of 1260 Plain Bob Minor was rung half muffled for Remembrance Sunday and for the fallen of Ecclesfield. More information....

09/11/13 - Visiting Ringers from Barnsley

We were pleased to welcome the Barnsley and District Society of Change Ringers at Ecclesfield this evening. From 6.30 to 8.00 a variety of methods were rung including rounds on 10 and 9, Plain Hunt on 9, Grandsire Caters and Triples, Stedman Triples, Plain Bob Major and some 6 bell ringing of Woodbine Delight and Sandal Treble Bob.
The area covered by the Barnsley & District Society of Change Ringers is the area within a 12 mile radius of St Mary's Barnsley

26/10/13 - Peal Rung Today

Members of the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers completed a Peal this morning. In 3 hours and 7 minutes they rang 5040 changes of Isleworth Surprise Royal. This was the 109th Peal at Ecclesfield. More information.......

20/10/13 - Quarter Peal

A Quarter Peal was rung after the morning service to mark Trafalgar Day. 1260 Grandsire Triples in 47 minutes. More information......

05/10/13 - Sheffield Branch Ringing Outing to Leicestershire



Members of our team joined other ringers from towers throughout the Sheffield and Rotherham area for a day of ringing in Leicestershire. We started out at Kings Norton, (photo) then Kibworth, Church Langton, Foxton, Market Harborough and Lubenham. Picnics were taken in the sun at Foxton Locks and we finished off the day with an evening meal.







05/010/13 - Visitors from Scarborough

Scarborough ringers visited Ecclesfield as part of their ringing outing. They rang our bells during the afternoon.

28/09/13 - St Mary's Bellringers Annual Outing

We were in Nottinghamshire today on our annual ringing outing. Joined by family and friends we rang at 6 towers during the day and rounded it all off with a lovely meal at The Blacksmiths Arms, Everton. Towers we visited and rang at were, St Nicholas, Bawtry. St Bartholomew, Sutton-cum-Lound. SS Peter and Paul, North Wheatley. St Peter, Clayworth. SS Peter and Paul, Gringley-on-the-hill. Holy Trinity, Everton. The photo is the group at Sutton-cum-Lound.



















17/09/13 - Visiting Team Quarter Peal

We had a visiting team of ringers from Exeter area today. They rang a Quarter Peal of 1282 Yorkshire Surprise Royal in 48 minutes. More information........

15/09/13 - Cambridge for Sunday Service

Ringing this morning included a first for our team. The Ecclesfield Sunday Service ringers rang Cambridge Surprise Minor. As far as we know it is the first time a surprise method has been rung by an Ecclesfield team for Sunday Service.

01/09/13 - Quarter Peal

Our team rang a Quarter Peal before Evening Service. 1260 Doubles, 1 method and 1 variation in 42 minutes. More information......

25/08/13 - Quarter Peal

Our team rang a Qaurter peal before Evening Service. 1260 Doubles, 4 methods and a variation in 41 minutes. More information.....

18/08/13 - Quarter Peal

Members of our team rang a Quarter Peal prior to the Evening Service. 1260 changes of Grandsire Doubles in 43 minutes. More information...

28/07/13 - Quarter Peal Rung to welcome H.R.H. Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge

Before the Evening Service we rang a special Quarter Peal to welcome H.R.H. Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge. 1260 changes of Plain Bob Minor. More information...

07/07/13 - Peal Rung in 3 Hours 1 Minute

Members of the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers rang a peal of Bristol Surprise Royal today. 5000 changes in 3 hours and 1 minute. More information

06/07/13 - Quarter Peal

We rang a Quarter Peal of 1260 Plain Bob Triples in 48 minutes as a birthday compliment to Janet Gledhill. It was rung on the Sheffield Branch Quarter Peal Weekend.

21/06/13 - A Busy Simulator Session

We had a very well attended simulator ringing session tonight. 18 ringers representing 5 different towers were in the ringing chamber. Primarily for teaching bell handling and basic methods our Friday nights are proving consistently popular with ringers. Rounds and call changes on 6 for our latest 4 recruits who are coming on well. Plain Bob Doubles and Reverse Canterbury Doubles for our more experienced Friday nighters and some Plain Bob Triples as we had 8 bells clamped.

08/06/13 - Striking Competition at Bolsterstone

The photo is the ringers who took part in the striking competition at Bolsterstone on Saturday 8th June. Ecclesfield came 4th.

02/06/13 - Two Quarter Peals Today

Our team rang two Quarter Peals today. After Morning Service a quarter of 1260 Plain Bob Triples was rung to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. More information........ The second quarter was 1260 Plain Bob Doubles rung for Evensong. More information........

25/05/13 - Peal By the YACR

This morning a Peal was rung by members of the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers. In 2 hours and 59 minutes they rang 5040 changes of Albanian Surprise Royal. This was the 106th Peal to be rung at St Mary's. More information.............

19/05/13 - A Busy Weekend

We have been busy this weekend. Saturday our team were at St Leonard's, Wortley ringing their bells for a wedding in the afternoon. Sunday morning we were ringing at Ecclesfield as usual but we were ringing as the Whit Sunday parade made its way through the village to the Church. Some of us then went back to Wortley to ring for their Whit Sunday Service and afterwards enjoyed our regular helping of coffee and cakes sat in the sun at the Countess Tea Room. We were back at Ecclesfield again in the afternoon to ring for a wedding.

28/04/13 - Peal by Ringers from the Southwell and Nottingham Diocesan Guild

Members of the Southwell and Nottingham Diocesan Guild of Change Ringers visited us at Ecclesfield and rang a Peal this afternoon. 5002 changes of Bristol Surprise Royal in 3 hours and 5 minutes. More information...........

13/04/13 - Quarter Peal

A Quarter Peal was rung this morning in affectionate memory of Barbara Rann. 1288 Grandsire Triples in 48 minutes. More information...

06/04/13 - Sheffield Branch Ringing Meeting at Wortley

Members of our team joined other ringers for an afternoon of ringing at St Leonard’s, Wortley.

From 4.00pm to 6.00pm a variety of methods were rung on Wortley’s 8 bells.

Afterwards we all made our way to Wortley Hall where we spent another couple of hours enjoying good food and drinks.







South Yorkshire Leading Quarter Peal Tower 2012

The Ringing World, the weekly journal for Church Bell Ringers published the 2012 Quarter Peal analysis in its March 29th edition. It lists the counties and the tower within the county that has rung the most quarter peals in 2012. We are pleased to announce that Ecclesfield was the leading tower for South Yorkshire with 17 quarters rung in 2012.

Holy Week

In common with many Churches we suspended ringing during Holy Week. Then on Easter Sunday morning our 10 bells rang out again, the sun was shining and the flag is flying on the flagpole. 4 of our ringers went to help out ringing for Easter Sunday service at St Leonard's Wortley after ringing for our service. We were back to ring our bells for evening service.

24/03/13 - Sunday Ringing

We rang our bells as usual this morning before the morning service and were joined by ringing friends from Rotherham and Darton towers.

Afterwards some of us met up at St Antony Coptic Orthodox Church at Eastwood in Rotherham. The bells of this church have been unringable for many years but thanks to a group of ringers carrying out many hours of renovation work the bells are once more ringing out. We went to give them their first try out. All was well and they sounded and handled well. We were made very welcome by the congregation and we stayed for afternoon coffee and tea.

Photo is St Anthony's in the snow on 24th March 2013.





17/03/13 - Peal by the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers

Members of the YACR rang a Peal today at Ecclesfield. 5039 changes of Grandsire Caters in 3 hours and 2 minutes. The footnote for the Peal is: In affectionate memory of Barbara Rann, late of this tower. Also remembering Hilton Ledger, father of the 8th ringer, who passed away 10 years ago today. More information........

17/03/13 - Ringing at Two Towers Today

Once again some of our ringers went to ring for the Holy Communion Service at Wortley today. We rang our bells for morning service and as our ringing finishes at 10.00am we had time to get to Wortley to join 2 of their ringers ringing their bells for half an hour up to the service at 11.00am. We rang our bells for the evening service to finish off the day. In between members of the YACR rang a Peal, see above.

03/03/13 - Three Lots of Ringing Today

We rang the bells as usual before the Sunday morning service at Ecclesfield. Then some of us went to ring for the 11am morning service at St Leonard's, Wortley. We received many positive comments from the congregation and Church officers. St Leonard's has no team at the moment therefore their bells being rung on Sunday doesn't take place. Afterwards we adjourned to the Countess Tea Room for morning coffee. We were back at Ecclesfield ringing our bells for our evening service from 5.45 to 6.30.

02/03/13 - YACR Sheffield Branch AGM.

Members of our team attended the annual general meeting of the Sheffield Branch today. Ringing on the 8 at St James Norton from 3.30pm to 4.30pm followed by a ringers’ tea and business meeting at Ranmoor Parish Centre. Evening ringing followed on the 10 at St John's Ranmoor. As a welcome bonus the sun was out making for a very pleasant afternoon.

3/02/13 - Sheffield University Guild of Change Ringers

The bells were ringing this morning by members of the SUGCR. It is the day of their 54th annual dinner.

21/02/13 - Ecclesfield Has a Wombell

No not one of the Wibledon wombles but a 'One Bell' ringing simulator. It's been placed in the Church near the organ although it will be moved to a better location in the Church soon. Please call in and have a look at it. Stuart, Philip or Andrew would be pleased to let you have a go. If you are not a ringer this is something that might get you interested but you need one of the three people above to be with you to try it out. More information.....

10/02/13 - Peal Rung at Ecclesfield

In the afternoon members of the YACR rang a Peal of 5120 Ardessie Surprise Royal in 3 hours and 6 minutes. For one of the team it was his 1000th 10 bell Peal and the ringer of the 7th's 300th different 10 bell tower for a Peal. More information,,,,

01/02/13 - Special Quarter Peal

Members of our team rang a special Quarter Peal today. 1260 Plain Bob Minor in 45 minutes rung half muffled immediately after the funeral of Phyllis May Gledhill on the bells that bear her family name. More information..... Before the funeral all 10 bells were rung half muffled for 30 minutes.

20/01/13 - Sunday Ringing and a Peal

A busy day of ringing at Ecclesfield today. All 10 bells ringing before the Sunday Morning Service by the local team then in the afternoon members of the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers rang a Peal of Bristol Surprise Royal. 5002 changes in 2 hours 56 minutes. Our team were back at 5.45 ringing for the Evening Service. More information about the Peal......

Weekend 05/01/13 & 06/01/13 - Ringing Meeting and Quarter Peal for Epiphany

On Saturday members of our team attended the Sheffield Branch ringing meeting. Ringing was at the Cathedral Church of St Marie in the afternoon followed by tea and meeting. Evening ringing was at Sheffield Cathedral.

On Sunday morning after the morning service our team rang a Quarter Peal to celebrate Epiphany. 1260 changes of Plain Bob Triples in 48 minutes. More information..... Before the Sunday evening service the Friday Night Team rang the bells for 45 minutes.

01/01/13 - Ringing out 2012 and Ringing in 2013 and a Quarter Peal

From 11.40pm to 11.55pm we rang our back 8 bells to ring out the old year and say goodbye to 2012. At exactly midnight (we had the radio on) 12 strokes of our Tenor signified the start of 2013. We rang all 10 bells to welcome in 2013 then celebrated with a glass of wine and fired off a few party poppers.

It's been a good year for us, 12 months of ringing on our new 10, ringing for the Olympics and the Queens Jubilee, some new people joining us to learn to ring, 100th peal at Ecclesfield and being on BBC Breakfast. 2013 has something to live up to!


The Team who were ringing in the New Year 2013 at midnight.













On New Year's Day in the afternoon our team rang a Quarter Peal to welcome in the New Year. 1260 changes of Plain Bob Minor in 43 minutes on the front 6 bells. More information......