The thriving bell ringing group at Bridstow took part in a ceremony and celebration recently to show their appreceiation of a very special gift.

A brief ceremony was held on December 14th in the Ringing Chamber of Bridstow Church to celebrate the installation of a complete new set of eight bell ropes, which had been provided through the generosity of Aylin and Robert Luck.  The gift was made in loving memory of Robert’s Grandmother, Mrs Winifred Davies, who was Tower Captain and secretary at Bridstow at the time of her death in 1990.

The circumstances leading to this most happy event began when Aylin and Robert contacted the Church to enquire if the Bridstow Church bells could be rung at the same time on the same day as their marriage was being blessed in St Martin-in-the-Fields, London last July.  This request was inspired by Robert’s memories of the happy times spent with his grandmother who lived at the Claytons, Bridstow. 

The Bridstow band was most happy to do this, especially as Winnie, as she was known to her friends, had been instrumental in maintaining a band of ringers at Bridstow when the number was low in the late 1980s.  Another connection is that Mowie Thorne, the wife of the present Tower Captain, became one of Winnie’s early recruits and succeeded her as Tower Captain after her death.

The ceremony in honour of Winnie Davies was attended by many members of her extended family and Bridstow Tower’s current band of bell ringers.  It opened and closed with some ringing of the new bell ropes and included a blessing given by the Rev’d Tim Starling, a tribute to Winnie Davies and the unveiling a plaque in her memory by Aylin and Robert, which also recorded their generosity.  The ceremony then concluded with them, and Tim, all total novices to the ancient art of church bell ringing, having a trial pull on one of the bells.