Ringing for Her Majesty and to mark the accession of the new King
The sad and sudden news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday 8th September will be etched on our memories for years to come. In conjunction with our local churches and cathedrals, and those right across the United Kingdom, the bells in many of the towers in Mere Branch rang and tolled to commemorate and pay respects to her passing. Here are just a few of the ways in which our ringers marked her long life of service, and the accession of His Majesty King Charles III.
At St Margaret’s, Margaret Marsh, President of the Salisbury Diocesan Guild of Ringers, Judith Williamson, and Mere Branch President, Len Roberts, joined together in ringing the fully muffled tenor at 12noon, on Friday 9th September. It was tolled 96 times in tribute to Her late Majesty, each sounding of the bell representing one year of her life.
This solemn ringing was repeated on Monday 19th September to mark the life of The Queen on the day of her funeral, after which the bells were then rung in the evening to mark the accession of His Majesty to the throne. For this, ringers were Judith Williamson, Len Roberts, Tim & Dawn Wilton (Buckhorn Weston) and Fred Shotter (Kington Magna).
Over at St Michael’s, Mere, in common with so many towers, the leather muffles were ready and waiting. The straps had been repaired and treated with wax so that on the morning after Queen Elizabeth’s death they were attached in the time-honoured way. Not an easy job for retirees Captain Mike Durkee and his trusty assistant John Elvin armed with head torches. A band of eight then turned up to ring on the morning of Friday 9th. It was a solemn occasion, but at the end of proceedings, a tot of sherry made a fitting toast to both the late monarch and the new King. The ringers returned on Monday 19th to ring ahead of the state funeral before most rushed home to see the pageantry on TV.
Meantime, all ringers from Upper Stour and Silton, came together to ensure bells were rung in all 5 churches of the benefice to mark both the death of Her Majesty and the funeral. This included 3 new learners, who until that time had not rung at a Sunday service. Two teams rang rounds and call changes at Silton, Bourton and Zeals, and a bell was tolled at Kilmington and Stourton. Most notable of all was the youngest learner, Rene aged 10, who rang the treble 96 times and has since been made a member of the guild. An achievement and occasion to remember.
At St Leonard’s, Semley, bells were also rung twice. On Friday 9th the half muffled tenor was tolled 96 times at 12.00noon, and then again at a special service on Sunday 18th September. This was part of a commemoration of the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, held on the day before her state funeral in London.
Some of the most comprehensive ringing, however, was undertaken at St Mary’s, Sturminster Newton. Here the tower captain Nick Dallison and son Jay were up and down the rungs of the ladder to undertake some complicated muffling, un-muffling and re-muffling of the bells. To mark the passing of Her Majesty, the bells were fully muffled with the exception of the tenor, which was open at backstroke, for ringing at noon on Friday 9th. Then for morning service on Sunday 11th the bells were rung fully open to mark the proclamation of our new King. The muffles were then return (again with the tenor open at the backstroke) for a service on Sunday 18th and during the hour prior to the Queen’s funeral on Monday 18th September. Rounds and call changes were rung on each occasion. Following the first of these commemorative rings on Friday 9th, Nick also tolled the tenor the 96 times to mark the Her late Majesty’s age, while the team carefully counted with him to ensure accuracy! The four performances at St Mary’s, Sturminster Newton, are entered on Bellboard to officially record and mark the solemn occasion, as follows:
https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1547764
https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1547785
