Reports coming in of more churches dedicated to St George are coming in.  We have Mossley in Lancashire overlooking the edge of  the Peak District. Its 8 bells have been rung since 1888.

Then across the other side of the country is Methwold in Norfolk.  Here St. George’s church is  Grade I listed due to the architectural alignment of its tower, turret, and spire.  For fifty years the bells were silent and then, after tremendous effort by the local villagers funds were raised so that by the millennium its original 6 bells were joined by 2 more and reinstated so that on April 23rd they rang out merrily for England’ s Patron Saint.

In Damerham in Hampshire, site of Neolithic remains, near the border with Dorset is the Norman church of St. George.  Its 6 bells rang loud and clear for its namesake.

Many ringers from the ELY Guild rang their hearts out then gathered together to continue their celebrations.  They were joined by visitors from Belgium and Ireland who were encouraged to help celebrate St. George’s Day by joining in and dancing traditional English Folk dances.

The cloth industry enabled the village of BRIDGWATER to grow into a town and so fund the development of what is now a large church – St. Mary’s that stands in the centre.  Its tall spire reaches up distinguishing it from its surroundings and the sound of its 8 bells can certainly be heard right across the town.  And these excellent bells, some cast locally in the 18th C by a T.Bayley, rang out loud and clear to let the town folk know it was St. George’s Day.  And here is the merry band led by the Tower Captain Margaret Lee that  spread the message on April 23rd.

Ben Markie and his wife are the landlords of this excellent pub who have supported their local church, St. Peter’s in THORNTON, Leicestershire.  And on April 23rd Eric and Eunice Roberts gathered their band and encouraged locals to join in, including the Brownies, to have a go at ringing bells.  The wonderful event was watched by about fifty villagers who cheered them all on, waving flags and cheering for St. George.  They then all retired to the Bricklayers Arms, had a brilliant meal, sang traditional songs, and had a thoroughly good time.  And what is more, they are going to do this every year on St. George’s Day.

Engaging with the young and teaching them how to ring.  What better way than to try their hand for such a special occasion as St. George’s Day.  In a delightful corner of Kent tucked in amongst its chalk hills is the village of Bredgar where Robert de Bredgar founded the College of Holy Trinity in the 14th Century and where stands its church of St. John the Baptist.  An ancient church that has a font that has been in use for 900 years.  No doubt this is where these young ringers, all ex pupils of the local Primary School, were christened.   Under the guidance of the local Tower Captain Tim Ford and his band, five pupils aged between 12 and 11 rang out on the 6 bells.  They were Oliver Boughton, Nikita Jacobs, Pria Webster, Isobel Hooper and Katie White. Well done to them and lets hope in years to come they will still be ringing out for St. George.

All Saints church in Marsworth, Buckinghamshire, rang out a quarter peal of Dragon Doubles to celebrate St. George’s Day.  And to carry the theme of dragons even further Rose created a dragon for each ringer and here is the happy band.

Here is the band headed by Alyson Booth who rang at Sparham a small village west of Norwich in the northern district of Norfolk.  They shared their ringers from St. Thomas’ in Foxley who has just had its 6 bells refurbished and so will be ready to ring out in 2014 for St. George.

In the east of the City of London is  St. Leonard’s SPITALFIELDS and here on April 23rd they rang a Peal titled ‘St. George’s Surprise Major’ which was arranged and rung especially for St. George’s Day.  It is very apt that this church is dedicated to Actors and here in the crypt area plays by William Shakespeare were performed as he strode across the floor directing the players.  And the connection goes further in that April 23rd was his birthday.

In northern Somerset is the delightful medieval village of Dunster famous for its position by a National Park, its castle, its tithe barn and also, in its centre its church, aptly named St. George.  It too rang its heart out on April 23rd.

East Devon was alive with the ringing from towers at Buckerell, Honiton, Sidbury, Combe Raleigh, Sidmouth, Stockland and Honiton.  The band of Honiton are pictured below containting two past Town Mayors.  It was a successful ring due to the Tower Captain having painted her nails with the St. George cross especially for the occasion.