The Lilliputters Guild Summer Tour 2025 – Day 6

Описание: 0:00 Ringwood
4:10 Fordingbridge
8:57 Breamore
13:08 Damerham
18:35 Martin
22:49 Evening


And so dawned our final full day of Tour – doesn’t time fly when one is having fun! Unusually, the final day proved to be our big one, taking in six towers in an area we had not covered previously.


First up were the fine eight at Ringwood (soon to become ten, I believe). Of the original eight bells, cast and hung in an oak frame by Lester & Pack of Whitechapel in 1763-4, only the treble and 7th remain (the others having been recast at various points). They were rehung by Taylors in 2001, and therefore handle well; they also sound very pleasant. The inevitable Grandsire Doubles was spiced up here, with 6-7-8 plain hunting above the others; we also managed call-changes, Stedman and Cambridge.
https://dove.cccbr.org.uk/tower/16719


Another eight, Fordingbridge, were up next. A church was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, and the earliest parts date from 1150. The tower, built c.1300, is unusually constructed, sitting on massive piers within the bay of the north aisle. The bells are another hotchpotch ring, with 5-7 being recast by Taylors in 1927, and the trebles replaced by new Whitechapel bells in 2000. They work well together, although they sound better outside. Touches featured here include call-changes, Grandsire Doubles (naturally!), and some Plain Hunt on the back six.
https://dove.cccbr.org.uk/tower/15403


Our post-lunch tower presented a real treat; a contender for the world's finest ring of four! Breamore church is a stunning, mostly Anglo-Saxon building. The original four bells (a mixture from the 16th and 17th centuries) were recast into the present ring by Taylors in 1922, and - as expected - they are truly glorious! Despite the long draught and wobbly rope guides, they handle well, and sound smashing (albeit very loud inside the church!). Now, being a ring of four, our streak of Grandsire Doubles should have come to an end; however, we managed it!.... but you will have to wait for another video to see how! Instead, enjoy some Bristol Minimus and the lower
https://dove.cccbr.org.uk/tower/10295


We were definitely flagging now, but still had two more towers to get to; both sixes, and both tower crabs for us all, so one last push required! First up was Damerham, another ancient building, of at least early Norman (and probably even Anglo-Saxon) provenance. The 12th century dedication to St George is unusually early (his popularity, as a symbol of the Christian Knighthood, grew during the Crusades, some 200 years later). This was today's second unusually-sited tower, sitting at the south-east corner of the nave, and built c.1090. The original three bells (hung in their primitive wooden frame until 1937!) were augmented to five in 1666 (when the tenor was also recast); they form the present 2,4,6 of the ring. The tenor bell's inscription notes that it was cast in "The Year of Plague, Warre and Fire"! The bells were rehung, tuned, and augmented to six by Mears & Stainbank (Whitechapel) in 1937; the new oak frame was made by a local craftsman, Mr E.C. Tilller of Greenbank, Damerham. They handled well enough, although were not particularly tuneful and the ropes extremely long; the lighting in the ringing area is also a ghastly orange! The Grandsire Doubles was spiced up for kicks again, with Alex and Ashley's ringing positions being inverted; we also brought round some Cambridge and Bob Minor, before a decent lower to finish.
https://dove.cccbr.org.uk/tower/15111


One last push then! Our final tower for today was Martin, the most westerly projection in Hampshire. The village was actually in Wiltshire until 1895, and the Grade I listed church does look rather more like a Wiltshire edifice! The oldest parts date from the 12th century, whilst the tower was built in the 13th century. The bells were 3 in number until 1934, when the cracked treble was welded, and three new trebles added, by Whitechapel; the six were also hung in a new frame lower in the tower. They sound OK, albeit very quiet inside (with a lot of rope noise), but felt like they are not rung very much. The end-of-Tour crash had definitely hit at this point, so ringing was kept to a relative minimum here, with Stedman, Cambridge, and - yes! - Grandsire brought round before calling it a day.
https://dove.cccbr.org.uk/tower/11576


The final night was a chilled affair, with cards and - excitingly! - a sunset dip in Poole Harbour; a glorious end to Tour! Our final day was a laid-back affair, with the clean-up at Lilliput and only one tower (Brockenhurst, not filmed). This video therefore brings an end to this year's adventure. After ten years of organising these Tours, 2025's was my last (for now at least); whilst Lilliputters will continue, it remains to be seen what format future Tours will take. But otherwise, I could yet be tempted to organise the next anniversary Tour in 2035 - watch this space!!....