Bellringers

The tower has a ring of six bells, tenor 6-1-16 in the key of B flat, and it is a ground floor ring.  There is a small but enthusiastic band of ringers aged from 13 upwards and learners are always welcome.  Several methods, both doubles and minor, are rung along with call changes, with an emphasis on good striking.  We are members of the Western District of the Hertford County Association of Change Ringers and we host one of their monthly meetings each year.  There are opportunities to ring quarter peals locally and join in competition ringing.  Apart from regular ringing on a Sunday morning and Tuesday evening practice night bells are rung on Ascension Day and New Year’s Eve.  They are also, when requested, rung at weddings for 20 minutes after the ceremony.

Tower Captain: Virginia Westmacott (Tel: 01442 842428; bells@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk)

Practice Night: Tuesday, from 8.00 – 9.00pm, except on the Tuesday after Christmas and the Tuesday of Holy Week. Bellringing practice is generally followed by a visit to the Bridgewater Arms.

Sunday Ringing: Half an hour before the Sunday morning service, except Palm Sunday and Remembrance Sunday

To learn more about the bells, scroll down below the calendar. If you’re interested in learning to ring, please get in touch with Virginia Westmacott, who’d be delighted to hear from you.

Photo of bellringing practice on a Tuesday evening.
Bellringing practice on a Tuesday evening.

Bellringers’ Calendar

The Bellringers’ Calendar is an interactive, filtered version of the complete Parish Calendar in an ‘Agenda’ style list. It shows only Bellringers’ events.

See the Using the Calendars page for more.

The Bells

The Bells were re-installed in 1977 in the memory of Miss Griffiths, who was a Senior History Mistress at Berkhamsted School for Girls and a highly esteemed historian.  They were dedicated in 1978 by the Bishop of St Albans, and future Archbishop of Canterbury, the Right Revd. Robert K. Runcie.

There is a ring of six bells, and an additional seventh priest’s bell is used for chiming.

Treble

Note G, Weight 3-1-14, cast 1977


Inscription:
THIS RING OF SIX BELLS WAS FORMED IN MEMORY OF ELIZABETH GRIFFITHS, 1977 TAYLOR LOUGHBORO 1977

Second

Note F, Weight 3-2-14, re-cast 1977

Inscription:
JOHN BRIANT HERTFORD FECIT 1820
RECAST 1977
TAYLOR LOUGHBORO

Third

Note E-flat, Weight 4-0-14, re-cast 1977

Inscription: 
JOHN HODSON MADE ME 1654

Fouth

Note D, Weight 5-1-23, re-cast 1977

Inscription: 
PRAYE YE THE LORD 1630
RECAST 1977
TAYLOR LOUGHBORO

Fifth

Note C, Weight 5-2-27, re-cast 1977

Inscription: 
W. ATTON + ROBERT + ATTON
+MADE + MEE
+1611+

Tenor

Note B-flat, Weight 6-1-16, recast 1977

Inscription:
SANCTA KATERINA ORA PRO NOBIS I + D
(The mark is probably that of John Daniel, c. 1450)

Priest’s Bell

Note C-sharp, Weight 1-3-23, cast 1820

Inscription:
JOHN BRIANT HERTFORD FECIT 1820

Reproductions of two Jubilee crown pieces, obverse and reverse have been impressed in the Treble. The Second was recast from the heavier of the two previous Little Gaddesden bells. The four largest bells came from Chellington Church in Bedfordshire. All were recast in 1977 by Taylor of Loughborough.

Little Gaddesden Church is a member of The Hertford County Association of Change Ringers.

Header artwork image credit: Tim Hockings