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Several people had a go at bellringing as part of the activities
for Litcham's 2005 summer fair. As those who came along discovered, there is a
lot more to ringing church bells than most of us imagine, but
on the other hand this is a hobby that does not depend on physical
strength, which means that young and old alike can take part.
The photos show a beginner under instruction at Litcham church
tower.
Ringing bells "by rope and wheel" is almost exclusively
confined to the British Isles, and has existed in the same form
since the early 1600's. The term "ringing" refers to
a bell that is rung full-circle, all other methods of ringing
a bell being known as chiming.
Bellringing has taken place in Litcham since around 1670, when
Matthew Halcott paid for the present church tower to be built.
Matthew Halcott's name is inscribed on one of the bells, as is
that of Thomas Feltwell, one-time innkeeper of the Bull Inn.
Over the years ringers have carved their names in the church tower,
and these can be seen clearly today, one of the earliest being
T Slapp from 1734.
Today many thousands of people enjoy bellringing as a hobby, with
the added satisfaction that they can also provide a service for
others, for example by ringing for weddings and other church services.
Anyone who wasn't able to attend during the summer fair, but would
be interested in the possibility of learning, is welcome to come
along for a bellringing "taster" session (without obligation!).
If this is you then please contact Tim Angell on 01328 700045.
Own a Litcham Bell Heather and support the Bell Fund
Litcham’s church bells have stood the test of time, ringing
out in celebration on numerous occasions over the past 340 odd years.
(It would be interesting to know how many people now living in the
village had the bells rung at their own wedding.)
Perhaps not surprisingly, the six bells and their fittings are now in
need of a thorough refurbishment and retuning, and the estimated cost
of this work is around £30,000. A lot of fundraising will be
required, and we are fortunate that to help us get off the ground
Norfolk Herbs of Dillington (near Dereham) agreed to grow some Bell
Heathers for sale, using cuttings taken from Litcham Common.
Bell heather (Erica cinerea) is one of three heathers native to
Britain, and is arguably the most beautiful with its lovely red-purple
drooping bells. Bell heather is a lot rarer than it used to be, so we
are very fortunate that it can still be found on the common, where it
has probably grown since before Litcham even existed as a village. In
the past the plant had a variety of uses, ranging from making thatch
and rope to dyeing wool.
Many thanks must go to Rosie and Brian Clifton-Sprigg of Norfolk Herbs
for propagating the cuttings. Their skill has given us the chance to
own a part of Litcham’s natural history, while at the same time
supporting the Bell Appeal, which will preserve an entirely different
aspect of our heritage. Bell heather is a lovely garden plant that is
very popular with bees; it does best in an acidic soil and can be grown
in pots.
Only a limited number of plants are available so sales will be on a
first come first served basis at a price of £3 each or two for
£5. Please speak to me if you want to make a purchase (tel: 01328
700045).
Tim Angell