Salisbury Diocesan Guild of Ringers

Church bellringing in the Salisbury Diocese

Mere Branch

Our branch is spread over a large area from Maiden Bradley in the north to Lydlinch in the south. Stourton Caundle is our most westerly tower and over towards Salisbury, Chilmark the most easterly. Four of our towers are classed as unringable, so we have 28 which are ringable: two of 8 bells (Mere and Gillingham), 17 of six bells, 4 of five bells, 4 of four bells and the three bell tower at Fifehead Magdalen.

A couple of towers are of note historically to the branch:

  • Kington Magna was, in 1873, the birthplace of Frank Lewellyn Edwards, who returned to become Rector of the church there from 1908 to his retirement in 1956 – he died on Christmas Eve that year. He was elected Guild secretary and Treasurer in 1913, a post he held for 37 years. A bequest from him formed the basis of the Llewellyn Edwards Bell Restoration Fund.
  • Lydlinch’s five bells lay claim to have been one of the few towers to have had its bells celebrated in verse – in ‘Lydlinch Bells’ by local poet William Barnes. This can be seen printed on the inside cover page of the Guilds’ ‘Forms of Service’ booklet.
    Vor Lydlinch bells be good vor sound, an’ liked by all the naighbours round.’

 

The Mere branch came into being in 1993 following a decision the previous year to increase the then eight branches to nine. E A Barnett was elected secretary and the branch was formed – from 14 towers from the North Dorset branch and 7 from the Salisbury branch. In 2001, with the demise of the North Dorset branch, further towers were added bringing the number up to the present total of 32 towers.

Michael Williams

Calendar

Towers

Local conditions can affect ringing times greatly so you are advised to contact the tower first if you are planning to visit.

For full tower details including contact information visit the relevant tower page.

NameBellsTenorPracticeServiceContact
Bourton
St George
612-1-6Wed 19:30 - 21:00 at Zeals (except 1st Weds at Mere).1st 09:30-10:00Correspondent
Buckhorn Weston
St John the Baptist
611-1-6Correspondent
Cann, Shaftesbury
St Rumbold
46-2-22 By arrangement in school holidays only.Branch Secretary
Chilmark
St Margaret of Antioch
612-3-24Thu 19:00 - 20:30. Alternates with Tisbury (Wed). Please check before coming.10:40 – 11:15.Correspondent
Compton Abbas
St Mary the Virgin
58-0-26Tue 3rd 19:30 (please check first).3rd 10:30 (please check first).Correspondent
Donhead St Andrew
St Andrew
48-0-1Correspondent
Donhead St Mary
St Mary the Virgin
69-1-10Wed 19:30 - 21:00. By arrangement.By arrangement.Correspondent
East Knoyle
St Mary the Virgin
612-0-8Mon 19:00 - 20:00Variable. Please check first.Correspondent
Fifehead Magdalen
St Mary Magdalene
38-2-0Branch Secretary
Gillingham
St Mary the Virgin
824-1-12Mon 19:30 – 21:00 (not Bank Holidays).09:20 – 09:55.Correspondent
Hindon
St John the Baptist
69-0-0Tue 19:00 - 20:001st, 2nd and 4th 09:00 - 09:30. 3rd 17:30 - 18:00.Correspondent
Kington Magna
All Saints
514-3-3Thu 1st and 3rd 19:30 - 21:00.2nd and 4th 10:30 – 11:00.Correspondent
Lydlinch
St Thomas a Becket
516-0-0Wed 19:30 - 21:00. By arrangement.2nd 10:25 - 11:00.Correspondent
Maiden Bradley
All Saints
613-2-7Tue 19:30 - 2100By arrangement.Correspondent
Margaret Marsh
St Margaret
53-3-3Tue By arrangement.1st 10:30 (please check first).Correspondent
Marnhull
St Gregory
619-0-2Wed 19:30 – 21:00. Please check first.09:30 – 10:00.Correspondent
Melbury Abbas
St Thomas a Becket
57-2-27Mon 19:30 – 20:30 except BHs (please check first).2nd and 4th 10:45 - 11:15 (please check first).Correspondent
Mere
St Michael the Archangel
823-0-0Wed 1st 19:30 - 21:00.2nd and 4th 10:30.Correspondent
Motcombe
St Mary the Virgin
67-0-7Thu 19:30 - 21:00 (please check first).2nd and 4th 09:00 - 09:30Correspondent
Sedgehill
St Catherine
54-0-0UNRINGABLE
Chiming only.
None
Semley
St Leonard
626-0-12Thu 1st and 3rd 19:00-20:30By arrangement.Correspondent
Shaftesbury
St James
68-0-4 By arrangement.1st and 3rd 09:00 - 09:30.Correspondent
Shaftesbury
St Peter
612-2-26 By arrangement.09:00 – 09:30.Correspondent
Silton
St Nicholas
69-0-10None With Zeals.09:45 – 10:25.Correspondent
Stalbridge
St Mary
617-3-10Tue 19:30 - 21:0009:00 - 09:30. Please check first.Correspondent
Stour Provost
St Michael and All Angels
414-0-0UNRINGABLE
None
Stourton
St Peter
613-0-24Wed 19:30 - 21:00 with Zeals. Contact correspondent.09:30 - 10:00 (alt Bourton/Stourton/Zeals - please check first).Correspondent
Stourton Caundle
St Peter
410-0-0Correspondent
Sturminster Newton
St Mary
616-0-18Wed 19:30 - 21:001st, 3rd and 4th 10:25 - 11:00. 2nd 09:00 - 09:30.Correspondent
Tisbury
St John the Baptist
616-0-9Wed 19:00 - 20:30. Alternates with Chilmark (Thu). Please check before coming.Please check.Correspondent
West Knoyle
St Mary the Virgin
512-0-0UNRINGABLE
None
Zeals
St Martin
610-3-23Wed 19:30 - 21:00. Occasionally at Stourton, please check (1st in month at Mere).09:30 - 10:00 (alt Bourton/Stourton/Zeals - please check first).Correspondent

Committee

ChairmanLen RobertsEmail
Vice ChairMichael WilliamsEmail
SecretaryMichael WilliamsEmail
Asst. SecretaryFred Shotter 
TreasurerNick DallisonEmail
Ringing MasterNick DallisonEmail
Asst. Ringing MasterMartin OstlerEmail
Training OfficerJudith WilliamsonEmail
Publicity OfficerDavid HurrionEmail
LEBRF TrusteeKeith WoodwardEmail

Contact ...

Messages will be forwarded to the Branch Secretary

Messages will be forwarded to the Branch Secretary