Tower Bells
Tower bell ringing is synonymous with churches in England, and St Peters is no exception. With a full circle of six bells, cast between 1614 and 1999, the bells are ringable with regular weekly practices. The Tower Captain, Martin Paling, and Assistant Tower Captain, Emma Lovegrove, are regularly involved in practices and training new ringers.
Even the village name, Kirby Bellars, has a direct link to the bells. The name Bellars is Anglo-Saxon in origin, given to a bell-founder or a bellringer, derived from the Old English word belle, which means bell. In 1316, Roger de Beler received a licence to give land at Kirkby-by-Melton, on the Wrethek (Wreake), to support a warden and two chaplains. Their job was to pray for the souls of Beler, his wife Alicia, his parents, and his ancestors, in a special chantry chapel on the manorial site.
With six ringable bells, the ringing team at St Peters are capable of performing change ringing. Change ringing is the art of ringing in a carefully controlled way, so that the order in which they strike changes each time in a precise pattern. Each new order is called a ‘change’. With usual names, for example, Plain Bob, records of changing ringing are recorded by the Ringing World.
Care and maintenance of the bells is not without its challenges. Having 1422lbs (646kg) of cast iron swinging freely places considerable strain on the metal and wooden construction of the bell frame which enables these giants of the music world to sing. The tower bells at St Peters are now ready for money to be spent on them to ensure they are in good working order for the next generation of ringers. The team at St Peters are busy raising £12000 to bring the bells back to the quality they are known for, and any help or contribution would be gratefully received.
Hand Bells
The church also owns a set of hand bells. These are over 130 years old… more information to come.
If you are interested in learning more about the bells, learning to ring, wish to donate to the bell repair fund, or just have a question, please get in touch.