On October 12th 1841 a group of Hornchurch ringers travelled to Bobbingworth, according to legend, on foot. The purpose of the visit was to inaugurate the new ring of six bells that had just been installed. A board hanging in the porch ringing chamber reads as follows:
On the 175th anniversary we made a return visit and rang a quarter peal (1260 changes) of Double Court and Plain Bob Minor. These may not be exactly the same methods that were rung in 1841, but the precise details are lost in the mists of time. The ‘true and complete peals’ rung then would have been 720 changes each. A board in the Hornchurch tower records a similar performance rung some months later by almost exactly the same ringers.
The recent performance was conducted by our Ringing Master, Clive Stephenson, and the ringers were members of the current Hornchurch band and friends:
Bobbingworth, Essex
St GermainWednesday, 12 October 2016 (13–0–3)
1260 Minor
720 Double Court; 540 Plain Bob1. Lionel S Woods
2. Jillian Laken
3. Helen J Carter
4. James Laken
5. Paul J Bloomfield
6. Clive J Stephenson (C)Rung to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the opening of Bobbingworth bells on 12th October 1841 by the ‘Hornchurch Youths’, who rang 2 ‘peals’ (extents) of the same methods.
First of Double Court – 2.
Current day ‘Hornchurch Youths’. L – R: Jim Laken, Helen Carter, Paul Bloomfield, Jillian Laken, Clive Stephenson and Lionel Woods
A short extract from the quarter peal is available below:
Our thanks are due to Bobbingworth (sometimes known as Bovinger) Church and their ringers for the use of their bells.