Present Ringers

Welcome to 'Bell-ringers At This Steeple' .. and meet the 'batty' folk who inhabit the Bell-Tower in Chaddesley Corbett. The Team consists of _ (Alphabetical listing)

For a selection of photos and video footage of ringing, click on 

Ringing-in the Millennium

Open day - 1999

Past Ringers

Birmingham Post [4th June 1984] - '200 Years Ago'
"On Saturday was opened a new peal of bells at Chaddesley Corbett by Mr. Redall of Gloucester by the Society of Chapel Youths of Stourbridge who rung 'Holt's Peal' of Grandsire Triples in three hours and two minutes, containing 5040 changes."
Aris's Birmingham Gazette. June 1784

John Giles (1846 - 1898)
John Giles was named after his grandfather and his father. He was a large man and well-whiskered. He lived at Bradford House and played a prominent part in parish affairs right up to his death at the early age of 52. Particularly he was the instigator of the Chaddesley Corbett and District Farmers' Club and he chaired the first meeting in 1883.
He was prominent also in church matters (the following is a tribute paid to him by the Vestry Meeting in April 1899) ... "The Chairman (Rev. D.H. Francis) called attention to the name of one who was with us last year and who had always taken a deep interest in parish matters and whose loss we all deeply felt and whom we should greatly miss for some time to come ... the meeting placed on record their deep sense of the loss sustained by the church and the parish in the death of our late Churchwarden, Mr. John Giles of Bradford House, and the vicar was requested to write to Mrs Giles and inform her of this resolution."

A lover of the sound of bells being rung all his life, he left a legacy to the church from the interest of which the ringers ... 'shall be paid their wages of the day, but to come to St Cassian and to ring a half-muffled peal (being his favourite) and then for their refreshment and their meal to be bought for them at a nearby Inn, and this on St. Thomas' Day, 21st December, being the anniversary of the day on which he was buried'
The tradition has been perpetuated  to the present day and a half-muffled peal continues to be rung on St. Thomas' Day, after which we all partake of 'refreshment' on what is, to us, "Giles' Day". Unfortunately, with inflation being what it is, the interest now accruing barely pays for a round of drinks but - they are consumed with no less relish and gratitude.

Bill Hemming
January 1984 saw the retirement from ringing of Bill Hemming (19xx - 2000) who had been a member of the St. Cassian Team for 49 years.
This year also saw the re-introduction of the custom of a Half-muffled Peal being rung before the start of the morning service on Remembrance Sunday.

Present Company - Year 2000

Millennium Ring

The Ringing World [Jan 28 2000]
"At St. Cassian's, Chaddesley Corbett, on New Year's Day, we rang from 11.45 to 12.45, stopping just before mid-day and then struck the hour using the Tenor with the remaining seven bells joining in immediately after the 12th strike. Just over 12 months ago I would have not have believed this possible as we had a bare minimum of ringers if everyone was available. Following desperate appeals on all fronts we have, during the year, recruited and retained 10 new ringers, all of whom (bar one) were present at the New Year ringing.
We arranged for Certificates to be done and photographs taken at the end of the ringing. We intend that the best of the photographs will be enlarged, mounted and inscribed before being hung in the ringing chamber as a permanent reminder of the day.
Our missing ringer (Harry Grove) was playing the organ at St. Kenelm's, Romsley's Church, which only has a Sanctus bell; he managed to chime this bell before and after the service in order to ensure that both he and St Kenelm's rang-in the new Millennium."
Richard Beaumont.

Striking Competition

On Saturday 11th March, the Northern Branch of the Worcester and District Change Ringing Association held it's Annual striking competition at St Mary's, Kingswinford. There were 2 sections to the competition, one for call changes and one for method ringing. 
After much discussion, with myself, I decided it would be good experience for us all if we entered teams into both sections. Well I got carried away and in the end entered 2 teams of 6 in the call changes and one team of 6 in the method competition. 
Of the 12 ringers in the call changes competition only 2 had been ringing for longer than 12 months. Although we didn't win either competition, everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves and learn from the experience. Next year with new bells to practise on we will be better prepared and who knows what might happen then.

Quarter Peal

On Sunday 12th March, a quarter peal of 1,260 changes of Plain Bob Triples was rung at St.Cassian's, Chaddesley Corbett, as a farewell to the bells prior to their removal on March 20th for some much needed remedial work on them and the tower. 
The quarter was also dedicated to the memory of Beryl Hartley, wife of the Master of the Worcester and District Change Ringing Association, who died the previous night from a long illness. 
Of the 8 ringers involved in the quarter, 2 were current ringing members at St Cassian's, and one had been trained here before moving to Solihull where he is still an active ringer. 
We hope with all our new recruits to be able in future to have a greater proportion of Chaddesley ringers in any quarter or peal rung at St. Cassian's.