Why Bell Ring?

When you take up bell ringing you become part of a really lovely community.

Wherever you go in the UK (or indeed the world) you can turn up at any tower and ring with other, like-minded people.

For youngsters going to university, they have a ready-made group of friends to ring and socialise with. All the youngsters who have learnt to ring at St Margaret’s in Altrincham have benefitted from this

You can travel the world with bell ringing.

Bell ringing often allows you to explore parts of the world you wouldn’t ordinarily go and to explore hidden rooms within ancient buildings.

Bell ringing is the original wellbeing hobby.

There is something very restful and mindful about ringing bells. It doesn’t matter what is going on in the rest of your life, as soon as you start ringing and focusing, all of those worries slip away.

Bell ringing is wonderfully difficult!

It challenges the brain in ways that few hobbies do. It is one of the most difficult hobbies you can ever take up but it’s more than worthwhile. When you are ringing well – in the zone – there is nothing else like it.

Change Ringing has a music unique to itself.

It is a pure blend of maths and music, where the melodies come when bells roll up together or where pairs of bells, 3rds apart, dance around each other.

For some, the maths of bell ringing is utterly fascinating.

Exploring the different symmetries and patterns can be utterly satisfying and fascinating. Word of warning: no maths degree is needed to be a bell ringer! If you can count to 10, you can be a bell ringer!

Some love bell ringing for the joy of the objects themselves.

Many love the work involved in maintaining the bells, the frames and the ropes. They enjoy fine-tuning the bells until they ring smoothly and strike with complete accuracy.

For some, Bell Ringing is Sport for Geeks. The same passions and obsessions that you find in, say, football fans, you also find in bell ringers. While plenty of sporty folk are Bell Ringers, it often appeals to those who have never felt at home on a rugby pitch or a tennis court. If that is you, why not come along and try it out.

Many bells around the country are many centuries old.

There’s something quite amazing about playing a musical instrument that has rung out across the country for such a long period of time. They are part of our local heritage.