THE latest community news from Llanbadarn Fawr

St Padarn’s Bell Ringers

This Sunday, 11 November is Armistice Day and this year it will be particularly special as it commemorates the 100th anniversary of the end of the catastrophic First World War.

The St Padarn’s bells will be rung three times during the day with half-muffled ringing ahead of the 10am service in the usual commemoration of those who have fallen through war; at 12.30pm as part of the national commemoration of the anniversary, there will be celebratory ringing, marking the spontaneous ringing celebration in 1918 on the declaration of armistice, the bells having been silenced throughout the war; and finally at 7.05pm another national commemoration will see ringing out the bells across the nation, in celebration of peace after beacons across the UK are lit bringing an end to the darkness of war.

The Wednesday evenings practice nights from 7.30pm to 9pm continue to flourish, and last Wednesday, 31 October, one of the former student ringers from just after the millennium, visited the tower with her partner.

Now living and working in Suffolk, she remains an active ringer in a county full of ringable towers.

The previous Wednesday, 24 October, saw over 20 ringers in the tower with the regular ringers being joined by nine very experienced visiting ringers from Welshpool, Berriew and Llanfyllin, plus the St David’s Diocesan Guild Master, Anne Bunker who came up from Pembroke.

As a result the practice night included not only rounds and call changes on 10 bells, but a number of methods. Socialising is a very important part of bell ringing and following the practice, the evening concluded with chips and ale in the Black Lion, and a merry time being had by all. The ringers warmly welcome ringers and those interested in learning to ring to visit the tower. Practice nights are Wednesdays from 7.30pm till 9pm and Sunday Service ringing is from 9.15am until 10am.

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