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University of Essex, Colchester Campus

University of Essex, Colchester Campus

The NE District, Essex Association of Change Ringers (EACR) would like to welcome you to Essex as you begin your Higher Educational journey.  If you are an existing bell ringer, we would love to meet you and show you around our wonderful County and our beautiful towers so that you can enjoy the peals of bells to which we are lucky enough to have access.  Even if you’ve never rung before and fancy giving it a try with your friends, we would still be pleased  to see you and give you a lesson so that you can determine if bell ringing is a social and community activity that you might enjoy while you are studying here.

Although the University has no ringing society, students are welcome to join the practices at the following local towers. Alternatively, please contact the District Officers listed below for more information about practices at other towers.

District Officers and Contacts:

ne-district-master@eacr.org.uk

ne-district-deputymaster@eacr.org.uk

ne-district-secretary@eacr.org.uk

Towers with Regular Practices

6 bells, 7-0-7 in A Access by stairs
Practice Night: Wednesday 8.00 pm
Sunday: Ringing at 10.00 am for service at 10.30
Contact/Tower Captain Adrienne Wood
1a Bobbits Way
Wivenhoe
Colchester CO7 9NJ

Tel: 01206-826411 Mobile: 07712-775142

Email: adrienne.wood@btinternet.com

OS ref: TM039215

Toilet facilities available

Church Website: www.wivenhoe.gov.uk/Orgs/StMarys/st_marys.htm

listen to the bells

Peals rung: http://www.cccbr.org.uk/felstead/tbid.php?tid=5606

  • Treble bell: Weight 3-1-13, Note F#, Diameter 24.75″, Cast in 1905 by Mears & Stainbank.
  • Bell 2: Weight 3-2-24, Note E, Diameter 26.38″, Cast in 1905 by Mears & Stainbank.
  • Bell 3: Weight 4-1-2, Note D, Diameter 28.44″, Cast in 1905 by Mears & Stainbank.
  • Bell 4: Weight 4-2-4, Note C#, Diameter 29.38″, Cast in 1905 by Mears & Stainbank.
  • Bell 5: Weight 5-1-8, Note B, Diameter 31.44″, Cast in 1905 by Mears & Stainbank.
  • Tenor bell: Weight 7-0-7, Note A, Diameter 35.00″, Cast in 1905 by Mears & Stainbank.
  • Clock bell: Diameter 23.00″, Cast in 1907 by John Warner & Sons.

This complete ring is in an oak frame, by Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel 1905, and replaced bells that had become cracked beyond repair, cast in 1802 by Thomas Mears of London. In 1998 all the bells were rehung on ball bearings, retuned, and the fittings re-furbished, as part of the “Ringing in the Millennium” scheme. The funding for this work was raised by the Community of Wivenhoe together with donations from charitable trusts and grants from the Millennium Commission.

The inscriptions and details of the bells are as follows:

  • Treble Bell: Inscribed with “May God bless all whom we call to this Church and Parish.”
  • Bell 2: Inscribed with “Prosperity.”
  • Bell 3: Inscribed with “When sweetly chimes this bell o’er sea and hill and dell, may Jesus Christ be praised.”
  • Bell 4: Inscribed with “For the honour of God and the use of this Church these bells were raised.”
  • Bell 5: Inscribed with “Lord, may this bell forever be a tuneful voice o’er land and sea to call Thy people unto Thee.”
  • Tenor Bell: Inscribed with “This peal of bells was recast and rehung AD 1905, the cost defrayed by public subscription. Sinclair Carolyn MA, Rector. F. C. Price, J. E. Heath, Churchwardens.”

To commemorate the 1998 restoration, a brass plaque has been placed on the Tenor headstock which reads:

Revd. David Thomas Rector
John Williams Churchwarden
Joan Barratt Churchwarden
Adrienne Wood Tower Captain
Restoration work by White’s of Appleton
Re-tuning by Whitechapel Bell Foundry

Colchester – St Peter has a ring of 8 bells, with the tenor weighing 21-0-17 in E flat. Access to the bells is via stairs.

Practice Night is held on the third Thursday of the month from 7:30 to 9:00 pm. Entry is through the front door, but please contact the District Deputy Master in advance.

The bells are not currently ringing for services.

For inquiries, email: colchester@eacr.org.uk

Contact Information:

You can listen to the bells online or explore peals that have been rung at this location: Felstead Database.

The bells are as follows:

  • Treble Bell: Weighs 4-3-4, tuned to Eb, with a diameter of 28.00 inches. Cast in 1913 by John Taylor & Co.
  • Bell 2: Weighs 5-1-5, tuned to D, with a diameter of 29.13 inches. Cast in 1913 by John Taylor & Co.
  • Bell 3: Weighs 6-0-17, tuned to C, with a diameter of 31.50 inches. Cast in 1913 by John Taylor & Co.
  • Bell 4: Weighs 7-1-7, tuned to Bb, with a diameter of 33.75 inches. Cast in 1913 by John Taylor & Co.
  • Bell 5: Weighs 9-1-19, tuned to Ab, with a diameter of 37.38 inches. Cast in 1913 by John Taylor & Co.
  • Bell 6: Weighs 11-1-5, tuned to G, with a diameter of 39.50 inches. Cast in 1913 by John Taylor & Co.
  • Bell 7: Weighs 15-1-2, tuned to F, with a diameter of 44.13 inches. Cast in 1913 by John Taylor & Co.
  • Tenor Bell: Weighs 21-0-17, tuned to Eb, with a diameter of 49.38 inches. Cast in 1913 by John Taylor & Co.

There is also an unused bell with a diameter of 24.00 inches, cast around 1550 by the Bury St Edmunds foundry.

The original set of 8 bells was cast by Lester & Pack of London in 1763. These were recast in 1913 by John Taylor & Co. and hung on ball bearings in 1938. The bells remain in the original oak frame constructed in 1762-3.

The inscriptions on the bells are as follows:

  • Treble Bell: “Recast at the expense of C. TRIFFIT WARD, Vicar, and his wife, 1913.”
  • Bell 2: “Recast at the expense of A. POLLEY & T. M. LOYD, Churchwardens, 1913.”
  • Bell 3: “Recast at the expense of W. R. SIMKIN and ANNE, his wife, 1913.”
  • Bell 4: “Recast in memory of MARY CARR WALKER, 1913.”
  • Bell 5: “Recast at the expense of ABRAHAM FROST and MARGARET, his wife, 1913.”
  • Bell 6: “Recast at the expense of WILLIAM W. HEWITT, M.A., Cantab, and SOPHIA HEWITT, his sister, both of Lower Park, Dedham.”
  • Bell 7: “Recast 1913.”
  • Tenor Bell: “Revd W. M. SMYTHIES, Vicar. ROBT DUKE, JAS ROBGENT, Churchwardens. This peal of eight Bells cast in 1763 by LESTER & PACK of LONDON and recast in 1913. C. TRIFFIT WARD, Vicar, A. POLLEY, T. M. LOYD, Churchwardens, 1913. This bell was recast at the expense of Parishioners, Congregation, and Friends.”

Colchester – St Leonard-at-the-Hythe has a ring of 6 bells, with the tenor weighing 15-0-0 in E. Ringing takes place on the ground floor.

Practices: There are currently no regular practice sessions.
Sunday Services: No regular services are held.

For inquiries, contact via email at hythe@eacr.org.uk

Additional Information:

  • OS reference: TM013247
  • No toilet facilities are available.
  • The church is in the care of The Churches Conservation Trust.

You can listen to the bells online or view the record of peals rung at this location: Felstead Database.

The bells are as follows:

  • Bell 1: Weighs 4-2-7, tuned to C#, with a diameter of 28.75 inches. Cast in 1927 by Alfred Bowell.
  • Bell 2: Weighs 5-3-24, tuned to B, with a diameter of 31.13 inches. Cast in 1755 by Thomas Gardiner.
  • Bell 3: Weighs 9-3-7, tuned to A, with a diameter of 36.63 inches. Cast in 1440 by William Chamberlain.
  • Bell 4: Weighs 11-0-7, tuned to G#, with a diameter of 38.75 inches. Cast in 1470 by John Kebyll.
  • Bell 5: Weighs 12-1-7, tuned to F#, with a diameter of 41.38 inches. Cast in 1719 by John Thornton.
  • Bell 6: Weighs 15-0-0, tuned to E, with a diameter of 43.88 inches. Cast in 1926 by Alfred Bowell.

The bells are hung on plain bearings in a metal frame that dates back to 1928. Previously, they were hung for chiming.

The inscriptions on the bells are as follows:

  1. Bell 1:
    “ALFRED BOWELL, FOUNDER, IPSWICH”
    “O GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD.”
    “GIVEN BY BARRON TRUST 1926.”

  2. Bell 2:
    “JOHN KIRBY * WILLIAM SLINGER * C-W T-C”
    “*** FECIT *** 1755″*

  3. Bell 3:
    “BENEDICTUM SIT NOMEN DOMINI 1450, 1ST PERSON TRINITY”

  4. Bell 4:
    “IN MULTIS ANNIS REFONET CAMPANA IOHANNES 1470, ST JOHN”

  5. Bell 5:
    “Wm * ROWGHT * TH * MATHEWS * Ch * WD * IN * THORNTON * FECIT *** 1719. REMEMBER MY SOUND.”

  6. Bell 6:
    “THOU * GARDINER * DID ME CAST. I WILL SING HIS PRAISE TO THE LAST. 1755.”
    “RECAST BY ALFRED BOWELL, IPSWICH, 1926.”

All bells were rehung by Alfred Bowell in a metal frame in 1926.

Colchester – All Saints has a ring of 6 bells, with the tenor weighing 4-1-14 in E flat. Access to the belfry is via a ladder.

Practice Night: Wednesdays from 19:30 to 20:30.
Sunday: Ringing at 9:30 am.

For inquiries, contact:

Additional Information:

  • OS reference: TL970232
  • Toilet facilities are available.
  • You can listen to the bells online or explore the record of peals rung at this location: Felstead Database.

The bells are as follows:

  • Treble Bell: Weighs 2-1-10, tuned to C, with a diameter of 20.50 inches. Cast in 1962 by Mears & Stainbank.
  • Bell 2: Weighs 2-2-3, tuned to Bb, with a diameter of 21.50 inches. Cast in 1962 by Mears & Stainbank.
  • Bell 3: Weighs 2-2-25, tuned to Ab, with a diameter of 22.75 inches. Cast in 1962 by Mears & Stainbank.
  • Bell 4: Weighs 2-3-24, tuned to G, with a diameter of 23.50 inches. Cast in 1962 by Mears & Stainbank.
  • Bell 5: Weighs 3-2-7, tuned to F, with a diameter of 25.50 inches. Cast in 1962 by Mears & Stainbank.
  • Tenor Bell: Weighs 4-1-14, tuned to Eb, with a diameter of 28.00 inches. Cast in 1962 by Mears & Stainbank.