Tower Bells
Tower bell ringing is synonymous with churches in England, and St Peter’s is no exception. The Belfry in the Church Tower contains six bells, cast between 1614 and 1999, all capable of being rung ‘full circle’ through 360 degrees.The bells are all ringable, with regular weekly practices. The Tower Captain, Martin Paling, and Ringing Teacher, 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 Handbells, which were cast in 1895 at Taylor‘s bellfoundry in Loughborough, Leicestershire. The Handbells have been rung fairly regularly over that time, with occasional lapses. The current band of ringers formed in the mid 1990s and continues to practice most weeks and give occasional performances at church and community events.
In 2026, the ringers attended the Leicestershire & Rutland Federation County of Young Farmers Clubs rally to demonstrate how to ring the Handbells and then to judge each Team of Young Farmers as they performed a test piece, demonstrating their very newly acquired skill.
The earliest ringers of the Kirby Handbells kept very detailed records, and the following articles give an insight into their activities in the years before the First World War.
If you are interested in learning more about the bells, learning to ring, or wish to donate to the bell repair fund, please get in touch.