St Peter’s Church Kineton

Bell Ringing Policy

Agreed by PCC, Churchwardens & Bellringers on    xxx 2008

The ringing of  bells at St.Peter’s church is part of the life of the Church and Village having been so for centuries. They celebrate church services (including weddings & funerals), and national and local events.  Our intention is that this tradition continues so the bells firmly remain part of Church and village life.

We recognise the establishment of a bell ringing teaching centre at St Peter’s and the need to be good neighbours. A system of sound control has been installed, giving some permanent reduction in sound and allowing substantial temporary reductions in volumes.

Open Ringing

The bells will be rung without the use of sound control for 45 minutes for church services and for 1 ½ hours for practice on Monday evenings. Once a month service ringing will be for 55 minutes. Ringing for an hour may also take place to celebrate church, village or national events

On a weekly basis open ringing will not exceed 2 ½ hours.

Sound Control

All other ringing, e.g. visiting bands, extra practices and quarter peals will normally use full sound control and amount to no more than 2 hours a month. These occasions will be advertised in advance on the Church web site.

Peals

This involves 2 ¾ hours ringing. Unless there are exceptional circumstances full sound control will be used. There will normally be one peal attempt a year on or close to St Peter’s day. This would replace any other extra ringing that month.

General

Bell ringing will not commence before 9.00 am and cease at 9.00 pm except to celebrate the new year or in exceptional circumstances.

Where open ringing is carried out for special occasions the Monday practice will use sound control to keep within the overall open ringing policy.

Extra Ringing and peals will be advertised via the Church or ‘harry Windsor ‘ Web Site