This year’s Calne Branch Spring Tower Tour, ably arranged by Ruth Beavin (our regular tour organiser) saw us visiting the Cotswolds on the 7th June 2025. Six churches scheduled across the day and lunch in the local prison! Our thanks to all the Churches we visited for allowing us to ring and enjoy such a wonderful day.
We all met up at our first church at Withington on what was set to be one of the wettest and stormiest days of the year. Sat on a bench in the sunshine we were able to admire St Micheal’s Church, a ring of 6 bells with a great history of missing spiral stairs to the ringing room and a font that became a garden feature for the rector. Ringing completed on we went to the next tower of the day, St Andrew’s, Chedworth….and still no rain! This time a ground floor ring of six. Our final tower of the morning was a ring of 8 at St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church, Northleach (18.5cwt) and an opportunity for triples.
Lunch had been arranged at The Old Prison Café on the Fosse Way, near Northleach. Highly recommended with some excellent food choices and bright and warm, even when the rain finally kicked in during lunch.
Weather abating, our first tower of the afternoon was St Andrew’s at Cold Aston (also known as Aston Blank), a ground floor ring of five, these being some of the lightest bells of the tour, a welcome relief after a heavy lunch. Onward, with sun shining, to Lower Slaughter, a most beautiful alternative to Bourton-on-the-Water, but equally as busy. Luckily for us, the church had reserved our parking, which was great as this would have been difficult otherwise. St Mary’s Church offers a ring of 6 on the ground floor, and in full view of every visitor to the church. Many of us have now been photographed and videoed becoming stars in many parts of the world!
Our final tower of the day was St Andrew’s, Naunton. Some enjoyable ground floor ringing of 6 bells ended a lovely day with good ringing, fairly good weather, beautiful scenery and great camaraderie. Each tower had a nominated person to run the ringing for that Tower, with offerings of everything from rounds and call changes through to Cambridge Minor, and lots in-between. Every ringer, regardless of ability had a fantastic opportunity to ring, and all did well too. Some even set goals for the day, with all being achieved. There were many on the tour from the Calne Branch and others from branches nearby too. Our regular tower tours are always listed, and all are welcome to join in.
The photo was taken at the end of the day at St Andrew’s, Naunton.
Patrick Holder-Mallett
Chair, Calne Branch
