On St. George’s Day April 23rd 2019

Ring for England - St. George's Day: April 23rd - 6pm Ring for England - St. George's Day: April 23rd - 6pm Ring for England - St. George's Day: April 23rd - 6pm Ring for England - St. George's Day: April 23rd - 6pm Ring for England - St. George's Day: April 23rd - 6pm Ring for England - St. George's Day: April 23rd - 6pm

ENGLAND’S 2nd city will ring for ENGLAND on April 23rd

The great city of BIRMINGHAM in the heart of The Midlands will ring out 12 bells from its Cathedral for ST. GEORGE and ENGLAND on April 23rd.  It is the 2nd city of England after London and in the late 18th C it earned the title of being the first manufacturing town in the world. After the decline of heavy industry Birmingham reinvented itself as a cultural and education centre competing at international levels.  Its stylish redevelopments have attracted new investments and at the heart of and contributing towards this vibrancy stands St. Philips built in 1715 and a stunning example of English Baroque hence its Listing Grade 1.  So when you are all out shopping at the Bull Ring, at The Mailbox or catching a train, the wonderful sound you will hear is your own cathedral acknowledging England’s Patron Saint and give a great cheer to the bell ringers.

BIRMINGHAM Cathedral

A ST GEORGE in the North East – JESMOND will ring for ST.GEORGE

Part of the North East’s city of Newcastle is JESMOND who each year rings out its 8 bells in celebration of England’s Patron Saint.  It was dedicated to ST.GEORGE in 1888 and is a remarkable example of the high standards of the country’s Arts and Crafts Movement.  All the interior is furnished with brilliant tiles, mosaics, carving and many other beautiful attributes including a wonderful statue of St. George.  Listen out for its bells and go and see this special church on April 23rd.

Tracery screen at the Baptistry worked in Caen stone was installed in November 1890.

Image by skycrapercity.com

 

BLACKBURN will come alive with the sound of bells ringing for ST.GEORGE

The whole of BLACKBURN and DARWEN and OSWALDTWISTLE will come alive with bells ringing out to celebrate England’s Day, ST.GEORGE’S day on April 23rd.  Not only the city’s special Cathedral with its 10 bells but also all the bells of St. Jude, St.Silas, Immanuel, St. Peter’s and others. This giant of the Industrial Revolution with inventions such as The Spinning Jenny has now reinvented itself and created a city full of wonderful parks and a vibrant modern Cathedral Quarter and sitting right in the heart is its Cathedral which will be joined by churches all around ringing out to celebrate England’s Day. Their bells will be heard down the Ribble Valley and across to the Pennine Moors.  What a great sound.

BLACKBURN Cathedral

The Bells of LEICESTER will be ringing for England

The Cathedral of LEICESTER will ring its 12 bells for St. George, England’s Patron Saint on April 23rd. The first church, dedicated to St. Martin was built around 900 years ago and re built in the 13thC.  Invading Danes then cast the Bishop out who fled south where he remained.  The city was then devoid of a Bishop.  It was not until 1927 that Leicester again became the Seat of its own Bishop and St. Martins became a Cathedral.  It has recently become famous for the reinternment of King Richard III whose remains were discovered nearby underneath a car park.  With its royal connections and its position on the River Stour, Leicester’s St. Martin’s cathedral sits right in the heart of the city. Listen out to its band of dedicated ringers as they let their city know its St. George’s Day.

LEICESTER Cathedral

LINCOLNSHIRE will hear their Cathedral ring for ST.GEORGE

There will be 12 great bells ringing for ENGLAND on April 23rd from LINCOLN cathedral reminding the county that it is ST.GEORGE’s Day.  This city has the third largest cathedral in the country after St. Pauls and York Minster.  It has an incredibly commanding position sitting on high ground with the River Witham below, and in its past was once declared to be taller than the Great Pyramids.  It not only has magnificent rose windows but also proudly boasts of being the keeper of an original copy of The Magna Carta for its Bishop, Hugh of Wells, was a signatory to the document. Much to see.

LINCOLN Cathedral

Churches in East Anglia will ring and here is a ST.GEORGE in Norfolk

The village of METHWOLD in Norfolk  has a ST.GEORGE with 8 bells that will ring on April 23rd. The village sits on an elevated position being named after the Saxon ‘Methelwaud’ – middle high point.  The church is  much loved and unique in that it has the only remaining corona and tower of its type since the belfry in Bruges burnt down.  English Heritage gave it a Grade 1 listing and helped restore it to its present glory.  Being on a high point the church with its dramatic steeple and tower can be seen for miles around as it catches the setting sun on the fens.  It will remind everyone that April 23rd is England’s Day as it hears the bells celebrating.

METHWOLD - St.George Norfolk

SE Elevation taken by John Vigar

 

 

 

SHEPTON MALLET in Somerset will ring – a ‘Peal’ for ST.GEORGE

The Mendip Hills with their dramatic landscape now an AONB lie just north of the village of SHEPTON MALLET which sits on part of the Roman Fosse Way. A community that has seen better times when wool was gold but has over the years recovered as it sits amongst a very lovely part of the country.  It is famous for a huge brewery and its ancient prison that was used during WWII to hide and protect the nation’s precious documents including The Magna Carter, The Domesday Book and many other significant records.

There are not many villages that can boast of a Grade I listed church in their midst but SS Peter and Paul in the centre has much to be seen. Its star is the oak wagon-roof that has 350 spectacular panels of different designs with 36 beautifully carved angels all along the sides.  An uplifting sight as the congregation listen to the 8 recently refurbished bells as they ring out every Sunday. They will be ringing again with huge enthusiasm by their redoubtable band as they attempt a ‘peal’ to celebrate England’s patron Saint, ST.GEORGE on April 23rd.

SHEPTON MALLET SS Peter & Paul

Yorkshire’s MINSTER will ring for ST. GEORGE

Yorkshire is so fortunate to have such a majestic building, combined with its equally distinctive history and connections. Briefly the city of York was founded by the Romans as ‘Eboracum’ in 71AD and became their capital of the interior. The name of the city as York is derived from Old Norse ‘Jorvik’ and was first used after the Romans around 100AD.  The city is unusual in that its medieval walls surrounding it are the most complete in England and today give protection to its cathedral YORK MINSTER, the largest Gothic Cathedral in Northern Europe.  The present day building has gone through many stages of rebuilding due to invasions, collapsing towers, and of course fires.  It is as well the city is situated on the confluence of The Ouse for had it not been in 1984 there would be very little left after its most devastating fire. As it is today it stands dominating for miles around with its handsome towers that hold 6 bells for chiming the quarters in the North West, and a peal of 14 bells for ‘change ringing’ in the South West.  The Minster also has a Carillon of 35 bells so in total has the most number of bells of any cathedral.  Its peal of 14 will be ringing out on April 23rd in celebration of England’s Patron Saint, and the 400th anniversary of England’s famous son William Shakespeare.

YORK MINSTER x 2

St.GEORGE’S Church Brede in Sussex Weald to ring April 23rd

Across the country there are churches dedicated to our Patron Saint, ST.GEORGE signing up to be part of the Campaign to ring out for England on April 23rd.  Amongst them is BREDE in East Sussex a small village between Rye and Hastings.  The name Brede comes from Olde English meaning ‘breadth’ referring to the river that runs to the south of the village.  The River Brede took its name from the village.  This delightful church, founded around 1180, has not only a window dedicated to St. George but also a statue of St.George that stands near the altar.  Its 6 bells will be ringing out across the beautiful Brede valley and across The Sussex Weald to help everyone celebrate this special day.

BREDE St.George E.Sussex

ST. ALBANS – a ‘Peal’ for ST. GEORGE – April 23rd

This city is special to the history of the country as it is the site of Britain’s first martyr ST.ALBAN put to death by Roman decree over 1700 years ago.  It is also the country’s oldest site of continuous Christian worship which is why the Cathedral building is of a beguiling mix of architectural merits. A town second only to London in its size, Verulamium with its position on Watling Street, the main Roman road from Dover, up through the centre of the country ending in Wroxter played a major part in its growth. It was then sacked by Boudicca in AD60 as part of her revenge against the Romans. In spite of this setback ST.ALBANS rose again to become the thriving cosmopolitan centre of today. And at its heart is the ancient Cathedral Abbey playing a major role in welcoming everyone with its 13 recently cast bells. On April 23rd a band of volunteers will ring these bells and in honour of ST.GEORGE they will be ringing a PEAL.  Go and cheer them on.

ST ALBANS Cathedral