If at first you don’t succeed……………..

This was a project over two years in the planning which in the end turned out better than alright!

Walking tours are better in many ways than motorised ones and we therefore determined in early 2023 that we would like to take the train to Bristol and do a short walking tour of city centre towers.

In the early stages communication proved to be difficult and led to a postponement to this year. We were lucky to have Bristol local Chris Stanley as our point of contact who gave up most of his Saturday to guide us.

An early Autumnal morning saw us driving to Bristol (no leaves on the line – just engineering works) and a short ring at St John on the Wall – difficult to spot unless you knew it was there. A wide variety of methods was rung including multi spliced Doubles and Rhyl Surprise Minor, though a trouser malfunction nearly sabotaged the call changes! (Our lips are sealed…)

An unbelievable selection of coffee and pastry shops both before and after led us to the Lord Mayor’s Chapel which boasts a wealth of historic information about the city and various holders of the office. Ringing ranged from rounds and call changes to Wells Surprise Minor and we coped well with the very loud bells and a cosy ringing chamber. Lunch was at a nearby Greene King pub (not serving Greene King beer) in a packed sports bar where we analysed the failure of Manchester United to appoint a decent manager.

Probably the best ringing of the day followed at the Cathedral where the ring of eight would rival the back 8 at the Minster. We managed some very acceptable Grandsire and Stedman Triples and – (it would have been rude not to!) – Bristol Major.

Finally we went to the 12 at St Stephens which provided the most poignant moment of the day. Liz Coke (nee Glasow), who was tower captain  at the Minster until her untimely death in March this year, had done most of her early ringing (and was married) there and is mentioned on various peal boards in the tower – including the first  all-ladies 12 bell peal in 1975.  We did her memory decent justice with some well struck Grandsire Cinques and Yorkshire Royal. 

All topped off with a final cup of tea before the sports enthusiasts decamped to listen to Women’s Rugby World Cup Final (brilliant display by England) and the Ryder Cup (ditto by Europe).

Huge thanks to Cath Jack as organiser, the 20 Ringers who took part, Katie the dog, Steve Jones, who dog sat and Charles Beardsell who produced some beautiful photographs.

We cannot wait for the 2026 edition…………