Ahhh... The Bells! The Bells!
By Darkwing
@Darkwing (21583)
February 27, 2009 2:24pm CST
Don't get me wrong... I love the peel of church bells. Because the village church is on a hill, and almost opposite where I live, I can hear them quite loudly. The photo below, was taken from my dining room window, which is the furthest part of my flat, from the church, so you can see how close it is.
Now, it's Friday evening, and every Friday between eight and nine, the bellringers practice their bell ringing. Not only on Fridays of late, but also Tuesday evenings. Then, on Sunday morning, they practice for three quarters of an hour from a quarter past NINE to ten o'clock, prior to ringing time for service, at ten-thirty.
Ok... I don't mind... in fact I quite enjoy it apart from Sunday mornings, but what I would like to know is, why don't they get any better with all this practice? They use the same old routine, week in and week out, and sometimes they don't get their timing right at all... either two will ring at once, instead of pealing in turn, or the whole lot will pull their ropes far too fast and it all runs into about four notes! That's probably because they can't wait to get down to the pub for their drink, afterwards! lol.
Do you live near a church and do you have bellringers who practice a lot, yet never seem to improve? I feel a bit like Quasimodo right now! he he.
5 people like this
11 responses
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
27 Feb 09
Hahahahahahahahaha! Very funny Quasi! Fortunately the 2 churches near me (one is 3 doors down and the other is across the street and 4 doors down) only ring their bells briefly late Sunday morning before their service... most of the time I sleep right through it. Not only that but they each hold services on alternate Sundays so I am never subjected to 'the war of the bell ringers' or anything like that, hehehehe.
My favorite time to hear the bells is on a windy day, which causes them to gently sway and the very faint ringing is carried on the wind... it is such a lovely sound! It reminds me of something that I cannot exactly recall, but which nevertheless has a really good feeling for me.
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@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
27 Feb 09
I remember you mentioning this place over in the Den... I loved the way it sounded then and I love it even more this time! You have a knack for conveying the feeling of a place in your words! I only wish I could hear the wonderful British accent in your printed descriptions!! Sounds like a perfect place for meditation when the weather is nice! I would even consider making the trip on a rainy day and sit there under an umbrella... well, if I didn't have to sit on a wet wall that is. 
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@Darkwing (21583)
•
27 Feb 09
Yeah... I probably did mention it, as one of my sacred spaces. I have three or four around here and others elsewhere in the country. It's a great place for meditation as you say, and for finding your inner self when the need arises. That would be great sitting under an umbrella on a rainy day, with the raindrops falling on the water, causing ripples and a faint pitter patter in the water. I guess you could always tuck a piece of waterproof material up inside your raincoat so as not to have to sit on the wet wall! The fishermen have those light, fold-up chairs that they carry over to the first millpond, so one of those might come in handy. It would be more comfortable I guess... even in the rain! I don't seem to have a pic of the middle millpond where the geese are, but I've posted one of the first millpond in here for you to see. It's really peaceful over there. I watched a kingfisher dive into the first one, one evening... my first spotted kingfisher ever. He was beautiful. Too fast and small for the camera though, unfortunately. Note the rhododendrons around the far edge of the pond. It's fantastic in spring and early summer.
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@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
28 Feb 09
Hi Darkwing! Yes, I have seen the photo of the church and with that, I do find it so close to your flat. Here where I live, we have a small church within the subdivision and I could hear the bells only on Sundays before the start of each mass that are scheduled for that day, usually 2 mass in the morning and 2 in the late afternoon. And the bells don't ring that loud compared to the big church we have in our local area but is quite far from my home. Well, even if the ringing bells are loud, I would not really mind. I like the sound of the bells. 
Take care and have a wonderful day dear friend!
lovelots..faith
Take care and have a wonderful day dear friend!
lovelots..faith1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
1 Mar 09
That sounds nice my friend. Church services have been cut down somewhat in my country. This church just has one on a Sunday morning, but when I was younger, there used to be a morning and evening service.
Yes, it's not far to walk... about forty yards down the road and then up the steps and pathway in the graveyard, to the church. I go up there often... sometimes take a book with me, but the vicar keeps rushing past and waving to me! ha ha ha. Obviously, I've never met him, but he seems a likeable chap!
Brightest Blessings, my friend and thank you for your contribution. xx
1 person likes this
Just joking! He sounds that he is a friendly one! 
lovelots..faith
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
27 Feb 09
Up in Utah the college plays the Clarions on SUnday when wind is right you can hear them real good for they are about a mile and 1/2 form my moms house .
Used to love hearing them . DOnt know if they had pracice nghts. have to look at pic.
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@Darkwing (21583)
•
27 Feb 09
I think the sound is great on the wind, from a distance. It's ok here in fact... just that they never seem to get it just right and taking into consideration all the practice they have, you'd think they'd get it right now, wouldn't you? lol.
There's a church in Hurstpierpoint which is another village perhaps seven or eight mile away, and which I sometimes visit. They have a nice farm centre there for the kids, and their church is on the High Street. On Sunday evening, I suppose they're recorded, but you can hear the bells playing hymns. They're slightly muffled too, as though the music is coming from inside the church. It's really nice to sit in the churchyard and listen awhile on a summer evening.
Brightest Blessings, my friend, and thank you for your contribution.
@deeeky (3667)
• Edinburgh, Scotland
27 Feb 09
We dont mind if the tune is pleasant and in rythm with each other and as you say the have been practising a while.
Maybe it needs your tlc so why not take a visit and encourage them so that the ringing can be appreciated.
@kareng (80243)
• United States
1 Mar 09
No Churches near me here in the country. Most of them are in town, but you will seen one every now and then in the rural areas. I don't get to hear any bell ringing from Church but we do have a bell on the tower on campus at Louisiana State University where I work. I do catch the ringing there if I walk outside at the top of the hour. That doesn't happen often but it is enjoyable. You live in a unique environment. I think you should visit and ask them why they don't get better..hehe.
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@Darkwing (21583)
•
2 Mar 09
Every village and every town here has at least one church. It sounds to me as though it's great to hear the bells at the university... a nice lull in the day's work I would think.
I don't think I'll visit whilst they're practicing, but I might catch them in the pub afterwards and have a quiet word! lol.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution.
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
•
28 Feb 09
I love the sound of church bells ringing Darkwing honey but haven't really got a church that close that tends to ring bells anymore. There are a few xhurches within a couple of minutes walk and I often think it would be nice to hear the church bells peelbut I think if I were as close as you and had to listen to it 3 times a week I think they may have a long wait for a drink when they got to the pub - I would be drinking the place dry! lol xxx
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@Darkwing (21583)
•
1 Mar 09
You wouldn't have slept in this morning... dang things woke me at 8.45 a.m.! Grrrrrrrrr. Once I'm awake, I can't go back to sleep, so I had to get up. They went on till half past nine, then had a half hour rest before starting to ring for service. Don't they know that Sunday's a day of rest? 
@mummymo (23706)
•
1 Mar 09
Missed you too sweetheart! Things are getting better- hope all is going well with you! I remember you used to like going to the pub when they were practising! lol As for the Sunday morning - I like a lie in too but even though I rarely go to church these days a friend usually takes Niamh and I have to make sure she is ready, Niall goes to a different church in town usually, where there are a lot of teenagers but usually he gets himself ready lol - so the bells would be quite handy for me to make sure I didn't sleep in! xxx
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@winterose (39887)
• Canada
28 Feb 09
yes in montreal almost every street had a church I love the church bells, they don't ring that much anymore
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@Darkwing (21583)
•
1 Mar 09
No, you're right, some don't ring bells at all any more, and as I said in another response, our Sunday service is now one, rather than two. They comfort me in a way, and when they're not there because a storm or something has cut them out, I miss the clock chiming. Strange how you get to be secure in the sounds, isn't it?
Brightest Blessings my friend, and thank you for your contribution.
@Darkwing (21583)
•
1 Mar 09
Well, maybe it sounds right to them, when they're in the tower, but it sure sounds a bit higgledy-piddledy over here sometimes, and the sound carries, as you can well imagine. I don't mind them at all... in fact, I've grown to live with them and the sound is quite comforting really. I certainly notice when the clock stops in a storm and the quarter-hour chimes don't come!
Brightest Blessings, my friend, and thank you for your contribution.
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
1 Mar 09
Water! Nope, no bell ringers around here, but I'll admit, there is something eerie about that sound but something so peaceful too.
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@Darkwing (21583)
•
1 Mar 09
Oh yes... I agree, when they're rung properly, they're lovely. The problem is, they practice a lot and don't seem to improve, and this morning, they woke me at 8.45 with their merry jangles! lol. I couldn't get back to sleep after that, and it was waaaaaay early but I had to get up! Early night tonight, to catch up!!!
Brightest Blessings my friend and thank you for your contribution.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
28 Feb 09
That's a great picture! Beautiful place you live. There is a church in town that sounds the bells on every hour. I think its automated though. On Sunday morning it sounds a tune. I think it would be neat to have a bellringers. I would want them to improve their skills if I were within ear shot.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
1 Mar 09
Thank you! Yes, our clock is automated... it works by electricity, and sometimes when there's a storm, the clock stops, so we lose those chimes until it's set again.
I love to have bellringers and I love the sound of the bells... it's just that sometimes, they must lose their rhythm or concentration or something, and it sounds as though there are amateurs up there. It's not an easy task though, bellringing. There's a hand bellringing group at the church too, and these entertain us in the pub for a while at Christmas.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for our contribution.
@angela_allen (406)
• United States
28 Feb 09
Ok maybe this will make you feel better. I don't live near a church but very close to a Mosque. In fact when you live in the Middle East you will always live near a Mosque. The prayer call is 5 times a day everyday, and varies buy the sun so it changes every season. Currently I hear it at 5am, 12pm, 3:30pm, 6pm, and 7pm. Wow it can get annoying. Luckily its not too loud and they rarely wake me.
When I used to live in Qatar it was crazy...I swear the call for prayer sounded like someone had a PA system in our house, it was unbearable. Imagine waking up at 5am to a man shouting Arabic very loudly, its not good.
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@Darkwing (21583)
•
1 Mar 09
Ouch, yes... 5 a.m. is just a little early to get a rude awakening like that, my friend. There are a few mosques in this country now. There's one in Felbridge, which isn't that far from here I guess. I wonder if the residents there hear the prayer calls, or whether things are conducted in a different manner here. I don't live close enough to find out, which if you don't mind me saying, is quite fortunate, if they're disturbing you that often. lol. I'll stick with my bells, I think! ha ha.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your informative contribution. I like to learn about different religions and their practices. Thank you.
