Whilst St Matthews Church, Rowde , may not have the strongest team of ringers (Rounds and Call Changes are collectively our limit at present) we did have one or two unusual activities over the past twelve months.
On 22nd October 2022 Lynsey Ollington and Jamie Dunsmore got married in St Matthews Church. So what is unusual in that you may ask? Lynsey and Jamie moved into Rowde around 2013 and were both seeking a means for finishing off the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award. Our then Tower Captain, Richard Heath, set up a programme and targets for them for Bell Ringing, which they duly achieved and gained their D of E Gold Award.
Time rolled on and Lynsey and Jamie moved to Bathford, whose tower they joined, though they kept in touch. We were delighted when they announced their pending marriage and even more pleased when they told us the marriage was going to take place in
the church were they learnt ring.
At the end of the service a mixed team of the Rowde and Bathford ringers rang the bells as Lynsey and Jamie left from the altar; and then a slight twist in that the Lynsey and Jamie came to the ringing chamber to ring at their own wedding.
As you will see from the images, they make a handsome couple.
Michael Cornwell – Rowde Tower Captain
