I had hoped to go to St Nicolas Church for the Christmas Day service but regrettably a gastric bug struck me down on the 22nd of December and I did not surface until Boxing Day evening. I was fully recovered by New Year’s Eve to visit the bell tower of St Nicolas Church. It must have seemed slightly incongruous to see the Mayor and Mayoress walking along West Mills to enter the bell tower external entrance in full evening dress as we had left a party in town. The bells were already being rung when we climbed the 69 or so narrow steps up to the bell tower. On arrival, we saw the bell ringers busy with a peal and waited in some amazement at how precise the actions were to ring the bells in a particular sequence. When they had finished, one of them, Ian Park said that he had to adjust the muffler on one of the bells and not missing an opportunity to go into the bell chamber, I joined him, going up another 30 or 40 steps to do so. I was glad that the bells were not being rung as we clambered over the joists to get near to the bells in question. Ian had to go between the bells, a rather hazardous activity, in order to do the muffling which he did within minutes and we then went down the
staircase to the bell tower. By this time, we were getting near to midnight and everyone was getting ready to peal the bells.
In the absence of the Rector and any other priests, Ian said prayers for the New Year and then he rang a single bell twelve times and that announced the beginning of the New Year. The bell ringers then began a celebratory peal which reverberated throughout the tower. Some of us then went onto the tower roof and it was a wonderful sight to see the town lit up and some firework displays had started. It was interesting that from that height we could just about make out the loud conversations coming from the nearby pub.
Having left the bottle of whisky with the bell ringers as is the custom, Edwina and I wished them all a very happy New Year and descended from the tower to return to the party we had left earlier. We both thought it was a unique way of seeing in the New Year and a splendid beginning to 2008.
staircase to the bell tower. By this time, we were getting near to midnight and everyone was getting ready to peal the bells.
In the absence of the Rector and any other priests, Ian said prayers for the New Year and then he rang a single bell twelve times and that announced the beginning of the New Year. The bell ringers then began a celebratory peal which reverberated throughout the tower. Some of us then went onto the tower roof and it was a wonderful sight to see the town lit up and some firework displays had started. It was interesting that from that height we could just about make out the loud conversations coming from the nearby pub.
Having left the bottle of whisky with the bell ringers as is the custom, Edwina and I wished them all a very happy New Year and descended from the tower to return to the party we had left earlier. We both thought it was a unique way of seeing in the New Year and a splendid beginning to 2008.
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