Have you been a bellringer in the past or would you be interested in exploring this wonderful hobby? Our Bellringing team would love to hear from you. We practice most Monday nights. Please contact Rick for further information.
Visiting Ringers welcome. Please contact our Bellringing Captain, Rick: beaumarisbellringers@gmail.com
The Beaumaris bells
The bells are in St Mary and St Nicholas’s Church, the substantial medieval parish church in Church Street, Beaumaris. They form a ring of eight bells, hung for traditional full-circle change ringing. The tenor – the largest bell – weighs about 12 cwt, roughly 610 kg, and is tuned to A-flat.[dove.cccbr.org]
The ring was created in 1819, when the bells were cast by William Dobson, a noted bell-founder based in Downham Market. Six of today’s bells are from that original 1819 ring. The two trebles – the highest-pitched bells – were added or recast in 1904 by James Barwell & Co.[dove.cccbr.org]
| Bell | Date | Founder | Approx. weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treble 1 | 1904 | James Barwell & Co. | 3¾ cwt |
| Treble 2 | 1904 | James Barwell & Co. | 4 cwt |
| 3 | 1819 | William Dobson | 4½ cwt |
| 4 | 1819 | William Dobson | 4¾ cwt |
| 5 | 1819 | William Dobson | 5½ cwt |
| 6 | 1819 | William Dobson | 6½ cwt |
| 7 | 1819 | William Dobson | 8½ cwt |
| Tenor | 1819 | William Dobson | 12 cwt |
The tower and clock
The church tower is medieval, but its upper part was remodelled in the nineteenth century. That work included the installation of the bells and a clock, so the present ringing installation belongs to a later phase in the history of a church whose nave, aisles and tower largely date from the early fourteenth century.[anglesey-history.co]
The tower also has four clock faces. Their mechanism is maintained by Beaumaris Town Council, reflecting the tower’s continuing civic as well as religious role.[en.wikipedia]
Ringing tradition
These are not merely bells sounded by machinery: they are a working change-ringing peal. Each bell is mounted on a wheel and can be swung through a full circle by a ringer. By changing the order in which the bells sound, ringers produce patterns known as methods- for example, Plain Bob Major. Beaumaris has hosted recorded peals and other ringing performances, and its listed practice night is Monday evening.[dove.cccbr.org][nwacbr]
The ring underwent a major overhaul in 1960 by Mears & Stainbank, one of Britain’s historic bell-hanging and bell-founding firms. The bells are mounted in two oak frames: most are in the older frame dating from about 1819, while bells 3 and 4 occupy a separate 1904 frame.[dove.cccbr.org]