We were lucky with the weather having avoided two days of heavy rain and wind. Saturday the 14th of October 2023 was cool but sunny as we set off on our forty minute drive to north Bedfordshire.
We arrived at Bletsoe in good time and were met by the tower captain. The bells wre re-hung in 2015 and the ringing room refurbished. The 11cwt six are lovely bells and the prime piece of ringing was a plain course of Cambridge Surprise Minor. We also rang Plain Hunt, Plain Bob Doubles and call changes.
Bletsoe bells were recast by Robert Taylor of St Neots in 1786. The church wanted a lighter set. The tenor at our church had cracked in the same year and was also in the bell foundry. Robert Taylor and his foreman Islip Edmunds noticed that the Bletsoe tenor bell was an exact match for the Gransden one and decided to swop them over, so saving on the cost of recasting. Taylor incised his name on the bell and Gransden accepted it as new!
So, Great Gransden have got Bletsoe’s old tenor. Whilst visiting Phillip invited Bletose ringers to visit Great Gransden to ring their old bell and it is hoped that this can be arranged soon.
Our next tower was Riseley, a 13 1/4 cwt six where is was locally declared that they were the best six in the area! We didn’t agree with this claim but had some decent ringing on them in the form of a 120 Stedman Doubles, amongst other tunes.
We then moved to the Fox & Hounds public house for lunch, which we had pre-ordered. We were made welcome and served nicely by the staff. A side order of chips was enough to feed about six others as Josh shared them out amongst the company of ringers.
Having sought permission from the staff, three of us rang a 120 Plain Bob Minor on handbells which was acknowledged with applause from everyone in earshot.
Our final tower was Sharnbrooke, a pleasant litte eight (9 3/4 cwt) where Grandsire Triples didn’t quite make it, but we had call changes and Plain Hunt 7. Our prime piece of ringing here was 100 Plain Bob Doubles with 768 behind, and very nicely struck too.
It was a really enjoyable day of fellowship and ringing. Our thanks to the towers for allowing us to visit and we look forward to our spring 2024 outing – wherever that may be!
Great Gransden Bell Ringers 