Who Rings the Bells at St. Marys?
At St. Mary’s ringers consist of people who have learnt at Handsworth or have learnt elsewhere and have moved into the area. We often have visiting ringers who have come from other towers. We are all members of the Sheffield Branch of the Yorkshire Association of change ringers. We have frequent social meetings where we visit other towers both in and out of the Yorkshire region. Family and friends sometimes join us for these outings, to look round the churches we visit or simply to enjoy the countryside. Some ringers start to learn at 12 years old but others when they have retired. It’s not a competition – ringing is a team activity; the most essential skill is probably a sense of rhythm. Many consider ringing to be their contribution to Church life, others do it for the pleasure it brings. Ringers come from all walks of life and range in age from ten to those in their eighties. There are over five thousand Church towers to ring at in the UK. This makes bell ringing even more interesti
