Great Bircham Society of Bell Ringers

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About us

We get a great deal of enjoyment from our ringing (it is addictive!) and visiting other towers for their practices or services.  The local ringing towers of St Nicholas at Dersingham, St Mary at North Creake, St Margaret at Kings Lynn, St Mary at Holme-next-the-Sea, St James at Castle Acre, and St Faiths at Gaywood offer strong support as well as good friendship. We are also members of a wider group, The Norwich Diocesan Association of Ringers.

Ringing is a sport for all ages (11 to 80+ yrs) and talents (absolutely no musical ability required).

Ringers are part of a huge family covering England, parts of Wales and Scotland, New England USA, Canada, Australia and other countries that have old English churches - in fact anywhere that the ancient art of full circle bell ringing is practised.

Many ringers use their skills to visit towers to ring when on holiday and ‘get to meet the locals’.

We practice every Thursday evening from 7 pm to 9 pm, with our own members and any visitors from other towers or holidaymakers. If you are from further afield, drop us a line (email address below), or just arrive - you will be welcome!

We ring for 1/2 hr before the 9.30 am service as detailed below and for any other extra services. We ring before and after weddings with much enthusiasm (it is also the only time we get paid for ringing!)

Before funerals we ring all the bells 'half muffled' (padded with thick leather on one side of the clapper) which gives a deep resonant echo on alternate strokes. As the coffin is carried up the path to the church the Tenor alone is tolled.

Click here for Services and Ringing at St Mary's, Great Bircham

For details of all the churches and services in our Benefice visit the website of our Group Rector

contact the Norwich Diocesan Association of Ringers: www.norwich-diocese-ringers.org.uk/index.htm