Ranmoor Ringers - Outings - Autumn 2016

Outings - Autumn 2016

Saturday 5th November 2016	Ranmoor Ringers Ou(s)ting to Derbyshire Towers
	EXPLOSIVE NOV.5^th PLOT THWARTED - GUY GOES SCOTT FREE So…. the stage was set for Shooting Old Guy. The placemen conspirators, ‘Duke’ David of Edensor (the Chatsworth Mole); Devious Dick of Baslow, Notorious Nicholas of Castleton and Saltpeter of Hope having collectively sort out clandestine opportunity to initiate underlings into the dark art of Fring the bells. Alas, like the Gunpowder plot itself, their intentions were foiled...a damp squib! (A clue to a possible saboteur – the power behind the throne? – Seek out an anagram of selected letters from one tour tower’s name for my hunch.)
	St Peter, EDENSOR, 6, 12-0-23 in G by John Taylor & Co 1867. Overhauled 1981 Renovated and rehung. Grid Ref SK250699 Lat, Long 53.22557, -1.62618 Postcode DE45 1PJ 10:00 - 11:00 Grade 1 George Gilbert Scott church of 1867, added to Paxton’s (buried in churchyard) model village confection, ‘the church now dominates the picture. Its spire spoils the scale of the village.’ (Peevish Pevsner). A beautiful crisp autumn morning, the sun slanting through the mullioned windows of the ringing chamber heavy with social history replete with self-important Ringers Rules, defunct gaslight fittings, closeted hand bells and a clock mechanism that was a joy to behold.
	St Anne, BASLOW, 6, 7-3-15 in Ab Tenor from 1754 by Thomas Hedderly I of Nottingham. Others by the Heathcotes of Chesterfield and Thomas Mears II of Whitechapel – quite the salesman – ‘Often travelled to Canada and carried out considerable business during the early development of Canada – The majority of churches along the St Lawrence river contain his bells’. Grid Ref SK251723 Lat, Long 53.24741, -1.62424 Postcode DE45 1RY 11:30 - 12:30 Grade 2* ‘Beautifully placed with its steeple close to the river Derwent and the old bridge across the river. (Poetic Pevsner) A lethal looking dog whipper’s whip was kindly provided in the church to keep Robert in line. Backstroke sallies (is that the plural?) vanished ‘like rats up a drainpipe’ and an unexpected lump to my throat when confronted by a Peal record with the names of my disciplinarian but brilliant Leicestershire Ringing Mentor, sadly no longer with us, and his life-long companion. I hope that they approve of my efforts these days.
Lunch	Bulls Head and other places, Castleton
	St Edmund, CASTLETON, 8, 11-2-0 in D# Grade 2* by James Harrison III of Barrow upon Humber from the family of Longitude fame – clocks and chronometers for accurate time keeping at sea. Grid Ref SK150829 Lat, Long 53.34282, -1.77598 Postcode S33 8WH 14:00 - 15:00 Clattering, uniquely experimental ‘broad shouldered and low waisted’ novelty Ice-buckets. Overhauled in 1923 by Loughborough Bell foundry. Honestly! Prominent dissonant foreground harmonics from Minor 2^nd to hair raising tritone diabolus in musicus – creating a dance macabre of ghostly gut rumbling overtones spewed straight from Castleton’s cavernous Devil’s Arse. Elegant mathematically choreographed pirouettes from all, each in our own idiosyncratic style
	St Peter, HOPE, 8, 14-1-22 in F# Grade I. cast 1733 by Daniel Hedderly (Bawtry/Lincoln) Grid Ref SK172834 Lat, Long 53.34788, -1.74286 Postcode S33 6ZG 15:30 - 16:30 ‘Oversized gargoyles on the s. side’ (Precious Pevsner) Rude…surely no way to describe ringers a-waiting a warden to allow us to escape the cold. The unintentional syncopated riffing of mistruck Call changes matched perfectly with the distinctly industrial Creole ‘steel pan’ Pythagorean gap (ask Peter about the math) resultant harmony of this ring. Peter danced a convincing Saltarello turning in the tenor, for once given a character role in method ringing dramatis personae.
	METHODOLOGY MAYHEM – a digest Attempts at ‘Original’ (new to me) were…well... just that! A longed for rehabilitated touch of Plain Bob Major pleased me (away with this compromised 4 blows behind ‘Odd’ malarkey). We paid homage to both Robert Roan’s c.1659 Grandsire and Stedman’s Principle of 1657 - ‘Proper’ Doubles/Triples that seem to root one into tradition where a steadfast tenor has a legitimate role. Three leads of Kent – what’s that about? Robbed even of a plain course of ‘pimped’ treble bobbing with time for the mind to wander whilst twiddling my thumbs in 2nds place. Then Cambridge Minor – now that’s more like it – looking forward to growing it into Major. HOMECOMING Journeying back I was surprised, yet again, by the constantly arresting panoramic view of Sheffield and beyond from Hallam Moors descending to into Ringinglow. Firework displays played around the Ranmoor Mothership, nestling somewhere down there (sadly unilluminated) in its prosperous sleepy hollow - I felt a renewed appreciation for our lovingly cared for right Royal Ring and gave thanks for time with a right Royal group of people (if a little too respectfully reticent, bar the entertaining domestic jousting) - Thanks one and all. So – Guido got a reprieve? The case for the defence? – ‘Old Guy was indeed shot. Evidence the surfeit of ‘Fring’ with less than elegant glancing blows when raising and lowering unfamiliar peals of bells…and in some of the botched & curtailed method ringing.’ Harsh… but good point well made. So..I’ll shut up…for now, keep my powder dry. Perhaps we’ll win on appeal next year…I look forward to doing this... All, as one may say, very satisfactory. Thanks again to Gill and tower leaders for organising and giving us all a memorable day.
	Location information from Dove's Online Guide

Back to Outings Index

Back to News Index

Go back to Homepage