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Cuddington Church Tower has eight bells which are rung every Sunday morning from 9.30 am for a 10 am service. The friendly band of bell ringers practise on Fridays from 7.30 - 9 pm and this is usually followed by a theory session in The Crown. Visiting bell ringers are very welcome to join us.
Listen to part of a peal of Stedman Triples
Ringing World National Youth Competition
This afternoon young bellringers (under 18) from the Oxford Diocese will be taking part in a training session from 2.00 to 4.00pm. This is in preparation for the national competition to be held in Birmingham on 5th July. We wish our local team success and hope you enjoy their ringing.
Listen out about 4.15 to 5.00pm today as our Christmas bell ringing starts with a specially arranged peal by ringers from nearby towers.
Ringers visiting Cuddington are welcome to come and join us on Christmas Eve for the carol service (ringing 6.15 to 7.00pm) and on Christmas day for the morning service (ringing 9.30 to 10.00am).
Caroline Stonham, Tower Captain
Bride and her parents, and Groom with his mother, sister and brother.
There was a feast of bell ringing at Cuddington church on Saturday 26th October when Katherine Stonham (who learnt to ring at Cuddington) married Alan Eyles. This event brought together two bellringing families; both Katherine’s and Alan’s parents met through ringing and their grandparents rang together in Swindon. Many ringers from Oxford and across the country joined the celebration.
A service touch of Stedman Triples was rung as the bridal party walked to the church from Katherine's childhood home.
Here is a link to the ringing:
The details are on BellBoard:
https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1780262
Listen out around midnight as we ring farewell to 2023 and greet 2024.
Bell ringers visiting Cuddington are welcome to come and join the ringers in the tower.
We will be ringing our bells this morning as part of a training day for ringers from across the Oxford diocese. Supported by a team of experienced teachers, students (of all ages) who are relatively new to ringing, will be consolidating their skills and sharing experiences.
After Cuddington we will be moving on to Chearsley and then Shabbington.
If you are interested in finding out how you can learn please contact me: caroline@holymans.co.uk.
Caroline Stonham
Once a month bellringers from twenty or so towers across Aylesbury Vale meet up to ring and socialise. On Saturday morning it was Cuddington ringers' turn to play host. We hope you enjoyed hearing the bells rung.
To mark the start of a period of mourning for HM Queen Elizabeth II, muffled bells sounded in Cuddington and across the country at noon on Friday 9th September.
This morning we welcome a band of visiting ringers. They will be ringing between 10 and 11 a.m. We hope the ringing gives you joy.
This morning (11.00 to 11.45) we welcome ringers from the University of London who are visiting several towers in this area. We hope you enjoy the ringing.
On Saturday 27th November we hosted a meeting of the General Committee of the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Bell Ringers. The members come from Bucks, Berks and Oxon. When not engaged in their deliberations they do what they like best: we hope you enjoyed the ringing.
The bells of St. Nicholas’ Church were featured in a recent edition of Radio 4’s Bells on Sunday programme.
If you have missed hearing our bells rung during lockdown, you can hear them at: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000p0h5 or via the BBC Sounds app.
Bells on Sunday is broadcast every Sunday at 05:43 and repeated the following Monday at 00:45.
James Stonham
Following government advice about the corona virus, bellringing has sadly been suspended. The clip of ringing on the Bellringers page will enable you to enjoy the the sound of the bells until we can ring them again.
On Saturday morning eight ringers from Cuddington and other local villages will attempt to ring a full peal. If successful this will involve us ringing continuously without rests or breaks for nearly three hours. Ringing is scheduled to start shortly after 9.00 a.m.
|
Bell |
Diameter |
Date Cast |
Founder/Bellhanger |
Note |
Weight (Cwts - Qrs - Lbs) |
Inscription (apart from date cast) |
|
Tenor |
3' - 1⅜'' |
2003 |
Whitechapel Whites of Appleton |
G |
9 - 2 - 03 |
Cast 1884 Revd James Mansel Price M.A. - Vicar Thomas Bishop & John Guy Dover - Churchwardens Recast 2003 |
|
7th |
2' - 9⅜'' |
2003 |
Whitechapel Whites of Appleton |
A |
7 - 0 - 03 |
For the honour of God and the use of this church these six bells were raised A.D. 1884 by Henry Boddington whose ancestors lived in this parish for many years Recast 2003 |
|
6th |
2' - 6½'' |
1884 |
John Warner and Sons |
B |
5 - 0 - 04 |
- |
|
5th |
2' - 4⅝'' |
1884 |
John Warner and Sons |
C |
4 - 0 - 03 |
- |
|
4th |
2' - 3'' |
1884 |
John Warner and Sons |
D |
3 - 2 - 06 |
- |
|
3rd |
2' - 2'' |
1884 |
John Warner and Sons |
E |
3 - 1 - 17 |
- |
|
2nd |
1' - 11¾'' |
1999 |
Whitechapel Whites of Appleton |
F# |
3 - 0 - 00 |
James and Elsie Frost gave me in thanks for 35 years of marriage and daughters Helen and Anthea |
|
Treble |
1' - 11½'' |
1999 |
Whitechapel Whites of Appleton |
G |
2 - 3 - 17 |
I ring in memory of Betty Payne a friend to the village for 43 years |
Headstock inscriptions
3rd - This bell was re-hung with new fittings given by Margaret Woodgate and Helen Griffin in memory of their parents Donald Arthur Griffin (churchwarden 1964-1971) and Helen Mary Griffin who also worshipped at this church and of their sister Muriel Ann Taylor.
6th - This bell was re-hung with new fittings in memory of Ruby Small (1907 - 1994). Lifelong inhabitant of this village who initiated the Sunrise Walk. Friend and helper to all.
7th - This bell was re-hung with new fittings given by Richard and Jill West residents of Cuddington Mill where Henry Boddington once lived.
8th - These bells were tuned, re-hung with new fittings and augmented by the bellringers and people of this village with the help of various grants. A millennium project supported by funds from the National Lottery. Reverend Christopher Denham B.A., M.A. (Oxon) - Vicar, Nan Cattell and James Stonham - Churchwardens. Let us praise God together.
The original Warner 6 bells in 1998
On 23rd July 1552, Cuddington is noted to have 3 bells and a little bell hanging in the steeple. In 1714 the tower is noted to have 5 bells the details of which are recorded to be:
Treble - 1612, WC, SW - initials stand for William Yare of the original Reading Foundry
2nd - Ave Maria - Wokingham Foundry (15th century)
3rd - 1610 - also Reading Foundry
4th - Sancta Maria ora Pro Nobis - also Wokingham Foundry (15th century)
5th - 1610 - weighed 8cwt, 1qr, 14lbs - Note Ab - cracked - also Reading foundry
It is thought that the 2nd and 4th made up the ancient ring of three, the middle bell being recast in 1610 with the addition of the tenor. The treble was then added two years later.
On Sunday 13th July 1879 a 17yr old named Ward unbalanced the tenor (which was up) whilst mending a rope and was killed.
6 bells were cast in 1884 by John Warner to replace the old 5. They were commissioned by Henry Boddington esq. of the Cove, Silverdale, Carnforth connected with Boddington breweries and whose ancestors lived in the Mill in the village. A service of dedication was held on October 30th 1884. These bells rang out over the village for 115 years with little alterations.
In 1998 a millennium project was introduced to re-hang the 6 bells and add 2 new trebles, to bring the ring up to 8. An appeal was launched in the village and the £35,000 was raised from village donations and grants. The bells were removed late this year and put back in, with the two new bells in the spring of 1999 ready for the millennium. The project was done by Whites of Appleton, bellhangers and the two trebles cast at Whitechapel.
In 2003 the 7th and tenor which were thin and underweight for the peal, were recast by Whitechapel and brought the weight to a respectable 9cwt.
Bellringing is a fascinating activity that can take a short while to master and then give you an opportunity to visit amazing places, a great mental workout, a team activity and provide a service to the community. Ringers come from all walks of life and range in age from 10 to those in their 80's.
"If you can ride a bicycle, you can ring!"
"Being able to count is all the maths needed and you can become a very good ringer knowing nothing about music"
"When I'm ringing I forget all the tensions and frustrations of the day."
Cuddington is in the Central Bucks Branch of the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers
Bellringing Links
RWNYC
This afternoon young bellringers from the Oxford Diocese will be taking part in a training session at St. Nicholas Cuddington from 2.00 to 4.00pm. Last year the team came first in the competition held in Liverpool. We wish them well for the 2020 competition.
This afternoon we welcome bellringers from Ealing. After lunch at the Crown, they will ring our bells before moving on to the 10 bells at Long Crendon church. We hope you enjoy the ringing.
Following the devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York asked cathedrals and churches across England to toll their bells for 7 minutes at 7pm on Thursday 18th April. Here in Cuddington we joined this act of solidarity and tolled our heaviest bell.
This Sunday afternoon we are again pleased to welcome young bellringers practising for the Oxford Diocese team that will compete in the national youth competion in Liverpool later in the year. We wish them well and hope you enjoy the ringing.
Bells were rung in many villages, towns and cities this weekend to celebrate the Royal Wedding. In Cuddington a full peal of Stedman Triples was rung. It took about 2 hours 45 minutes to ring all the 5,040 changes. We hope you enjoyed the ringing!
Cuddington bells will be rung half-muffled this evening (7 pm) in memory of John Keates, formerly Tower Captain/Ringing Master at Haddenham, who passed away after a long illness on 24th March 2018. His funeral is tomorrow.
From the early 1990s until he became unwell, John was a was a very regular ringer at Cuddington sharing his expertise, encouraging and helping build the band. He gave practical help when the bells were restored at the millennium.
The ringing on Sunday afternoon was dedicated to those killed in WW1, particularly Cpl. Fred Vine RAMC who was killed on 26th February 1918 when the ship he was on, HMS Glenart Castle, was attacked by a German U-boat off Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel. He is commemorated on the war memorial in the churchyard. There is also a memorial at Hartland Point.
Celebrating a significant birthday today, tower captain Caroline Stonham will be ringing the bells at midday. Her mother, daughter, sister, brother and husband will be ringing with her.
The bellringing this afternoon (5 to 6 pm) is dedicated to Freya Cox following the service of thanksgiving yesterday afternoon in Cuddington church.
This afternoon (2.30 to 4.00) we welcome ringers from a number of towers across Aylesbury Vale for their monthly branch meeting. We hope you like the ringing.
This afternoon we welcome young bellringers who are training to represent our diocese in the National Youth Contest next year. We wish them well and hope you enjoy their ringing.
At 2 o'clock this afternoon, 3rd June, we welcome visiting ringers from Chelsea Old Church, London. We hope you enjoy the ringing.
RWNYC
The Ringing World National Youth Contest for bellringers aged under 19 is to be held this summer in Birmingham. In preparation for this young bellringers from the Oxford Diocese will taking part in a training session at St. Nicholas Cuddington this Sunday afternoon from 2.00 to 4.00pm. We wish them well in Birmingham.
Tomorrow morning (Wednesday 4th) ringers will attempt to ring a full peal of Bristol Surprise Major. This pattern of changes is known for its complexity and produces very good musical sequences, which we hope you will enjoy .
Ringing is planned to start soon after 10.00 at end about 1.00.
The bells will be ringing this Saturday afternoon (2 to 3.30) as we welcome ringers from across Bucks, Berks and Oxon for a special training event.
Bellringing Open Morning
Saturday 10th September 10.30 – 12 noon.
Drop in Session to see the bells, discover how bells are rung and learn more about this fascinating activity.
If you have learnt to bellring in the past you will be surprised how easy it is to pick up again.
All ages welcome.
Caroline and James Stonham
On Saturday William Stonham of Holyman’s Farmhouse and Isobel Englert were married at St Helen’s Bishopsgate, London. Special ringing has been arranged to celebrate and this evening (2nd August) family and friends will be ringing a peal of 2016 changes on Cuddington bells.
On Thursday afternoon (21 April) a specially arranged full peal will be rung on the church bells to celebrate The Queen’s 90th birthday. Ringing will start at about 2.30 and the peal should be completed soon after 5.00.
We hope you enjoy the ringing.
Church bells will ring out across Britain this week as the Queen becomes Britain’s longest serving reigning monarch. Cuddington bells will be no exception. A full peal to mark this historic occasion will be rung on Saturday 12th September starting at 9.30am. It is expected to last nearly three hours.
We hope you enjoy the bellringing.
RWNYC
The Fourth Ringing World National Youth Contest for bellringers aged under 19 is to be held this summer in Oxford. In preparation for this young bellringers from the Oxford Diocese will be practising at St. Nicholas Cuddington this Sunday afternoon from 2.00 to 4.00pm. The standard will be excellent. We wish them well in Oxford.
On Saturday 15th June bellringing friends from neighbouring towers joined us on our annual Outing. This year we visited villages in north Bucks and Bedfordshire, including the parish of Odell where Christine Clark, formerly of Lower Farm, is now the vicar. The majority of us cycled and enjoyed a leisurely lunch at The Cock in Pavenham before ringing at the heaviest bells of the day at Felmersham. One cloudburst in the afternoon caused a flurry of cagoules before tea at Turvey and then we visited the Rose and Crown for a delicious evening meal before heading home.
We are pleased to welcome ringers from Daventry who will be ringing our bells from 9.45 to 10.30 a.m. They are visiting villages associated with Midsomer Murders!
Oxford Diocesan Guild
For as long as anyone can remember Ted was a member of the Bellringing band at Cuddington. With Ron Hooper, Ron Tomes, Derek Miller, Will Warner and Will Woodford as Tower Captain he rang the six bells for services in the 1960s and 1970s. When there were no bellringers, he chimed 3 bells on a Sunday; one in each hand and one using his foot! When Caroline and James Stonham arrived he helped with recruitment and with the building of the ringing gallery at the west end of the church. He loved visiting other places on our annual bellringing outings and was well known in the locality for his cheerful manner and words of encouragement especially to younger bellringers. He was keen supporter of the project to rehang the old 6 bells and add two additional ones to make a full octave for the Millennium. This also meant they became easier for him and others to continue to ring well into their 80s. He was a member of the Oxford Diocesan Guild for over 50 years and was elected and honorary life member Guild in 2008. A quarter peal was rung half muffled in his memory on the Sunday immediately after his passing and Bellringers from many the local churches attended his memorial service on 19th December.
Cuddington’s bellringers rang the bells of St. Nicholas’ Church for three minutes from 8.12 on Friday 27th July to mark the start of the London Olympic Games.
This project is part of the Cultural Olympiad and aimed to get as many local groups as possible involved in ringing bells at the same time.
For more information visit www.allthebells.com