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Ringing in Chester, by Phil Burton

The city of Chester has four 'ringable' towers. Within the city walls there is the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Mary on-the-hill, and walking distance from the city centre is Hoole, All Saints and Handbridge, St Mary Without.

Prior to the 1970's, the Cathedral's large central tower housed a 29cwt ring of 10 bells. I never rung on them, but I have been lucky enough to have a look round the now eerily empty tower. The access was interesting to say the least; 3 separate spiral  staircases, passage ways and balconies. The ringing room was directly below the bells, similar to Hereford Cathedral, meaning they would have been very loud for the ringers. The huge louvers on all four sides of the central tower, at the same level as the bells would have made the tonne-and-a-half 10 very loud around the city. I would have dearly loved to have experienced ringing on the 'old' ring, they would certainly have been a very interesting challenge.

The first recorded peal in the City of Chester was rung in 1873. It is commemorated on a peal board inside the new Addelshaw Tower as follows;
 

Chester Cathedral's modern detached tower contains a 1970's Taylors ring of 12, with the tenor weighing 24-3-0. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, the bells are acoustically unsatisfactory, indoors and to a lesser extent, outdoors. The shape of the tower, the closely confined bells, the materials used and the frame being placed directly on to the concrete and just 4 of the reasons why you get several levels and instances of sound from the bells, making them very indistinct inside the ringing room. The louvers, at the very top of the Egyptian looking tower, are angled too steeply, meaning whilst you are within 50 metres of the tower, they are extremely loud. Conversely, in Abbey Square, or outside the great West Doors of the cathedral, the bells are almost inaudible. However, acoustical problems with rings of bells are not uncommon, in fact, Liverpool Cathedral, the heaviest and highest ring in the world, have always been disappointing from an acoustical point of view for the ringers ringing the bells, and to those listening outside.

Chester Cathedral practice on Monday nights and visitors are always most welcome.

St Mary on the hill is a council owned building now, and therefore, ringing is limited to special services. However, visiting bands are welcome, please contact the secretary for more information. The access to the ringing room is interesting in that you have to climb 3 vertical ladders:- something the faint hearted should definitely avoid. The bells themselves are very good, and still ring very well, even though they are rarely rung nowadays. They are very, very loud in the ringing room, so don't forget to bring some Halls Soothers.

Across the River Dee is the Handbridge area of Chester which contains Chester's other ring of 8. A difficult, but rewarding, tonne Mears and Stainbank ring dating back to 1897. There is a vibrant Wednesday night practice. [visitors are always welcome]

Last but not Least is Hoole, a 7cwt ring of 6 on the outskirts of Chester. Practice night is Thursday and visitors are always welcome.
 

Chester's Unringables

Chester is also famous for the rings of bells it has lost, but information about exactly what happened and when is sketchy at best. The Medieval St John's church was Chester's Cathedral from 1075 to 1102, located just outside the city walls, has a chime of 8 bells, but at some point in history, it had a 'ring' of bells. It's tall tower that once dominated the Chester skyline collapsed in 1881. St Peter's Church, located on the crossing, at the very epicentre of Chester, has a ring of 6 bells, but they are in such a state of disrepair, they are considered unringable. St Peter's have not been rung full circle since before the second world war at least. All 6 bells are still in the tower, and all swing freely. Some clappers are missing, and the wheels that remain are rotting away. 200 yards down Watergate St from St Peters is Holy Trinity church. This tower at one point did contain a ring of bells, but the best information I can get on this is that the bells were stolen, perhaps during the second world war, when many church bells were removed from towers for safety reasons. Finally, St Michael's Church, now a heritage centre, also contained a ring of bells, however, I do not know the details of these bells at all. At one point, probably between 1850 and 1881, there would have been 4 rings of bells that are either not there or not ringable today.

If you have any information regarding the lost rings of Chester, please get in contact with me. My knowledge comes from conversations with senior local ringers, and from what I have been able to attain from the very old 'blue' dove guide, which contains details on lost rings. However, if you know anything on this page to be incorrect, please let me know.

Another Website by Phil Burton