Note: While the bells were out for restoration during summer 2004, we rang handbells for some weddings, rather than disappoint couples who wanted bells for their wedding. Regular ringing at All Saints is our main role. Our objectives are:
But many other activities help to make up the richness of ringing life at All Saints (see below). Any ringers visiting Wokingham when we are ringing are welcome to come and ring with us (except for quarter peals etc with a pre-arranged band). Note: In the table, where only approximate times are given, they vary from year to year.
| Day | Sunday morning | Sunday evening | Other Sunday services | Weekday | Wedding | Monday |
| Purpose | Before service | Before service | Before service | Before service | After service | Practice |
| Times | 8.50 - 9.25 am | 5.50 - 6.25 pm (5.30 start if quarter peal) | Various | Various | Various | 8.00 - 9.30 pm |
| Notes | Almost every Sunday | Not in August. Occasional other Sundays missed. | Easter morning: 7.30 - 7.55 am Christingle (2nd Sunday in Advent): Early afternoon | Christmas Eve (mid afternoon, early evening, late night) Christmas Day (7.30 - 7.55, 8.50 - 9.25 am) Evening services on: Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, Ascension Day, All Saints Day | Mostly Saturdays a few weekdays | Most weeks, Not Bank Holidays Periodic Surprise Major practices (to be included on the invitation list, see contact details). |
Note: While the bells were out for restoration during summer 2004, we rang handbells for some weddings, rather than disappoint couples who wanted bells for their wedding.
Training ringers is a regular activity for most ringing bands. At All Saints, new recruits receive individual tuition until they can handle a bell competently, and then receive further coaching and development ringing with the rest of the band. For more information, see Learning to Ring
If you think you might be interested in learning, come and see what it is all about. Either visit the tower during a practice, or contact the secretary .
Ringers have a long established tradition of visiting other towers to ring their bells. A ringing outing enables you to ring in several different towers and experience bells of different character and style. You often visit places of architectural or historic interest, as well as enjoying varied scenery, and of course good companionship of other ringers. See some pictures from our ringing outings.
The bells are available for visiting bands by arrangement. Contact the tower secretary
A Peal is a performance of continuous change ringing with at least 5000 changes. A peal is a significant undertaking, which takes about 3 hours on our bells. A Quarter Peal takes 45-50 minutes to ring. Peals and quarter peals are often rung to mark major events, festivals, anniversaries, etc, though some are just rung for pleasure. See some special peals at All Saints .
Quarter peals are not a lot longer than normal service ringing, so we ring several a year for special services. See a list of quarter peals.
A total of 66 peals have been rung at All Saints since the bells were augmented to 8 in 1903. See How peal ringing has varied over the last century.
In perfect ringing, successive bells strike with an exactly even rhythm. That is difficult to achieve, since it requires exact co-ordination of the swinging of all the bells, and the human ear can detect irregularities as small as a few hundredths of a second. Most ringing societies run annual competitions where teams compete to see which can ring the most accurately. Sonning Deanery holds annual 6-bell and 8-bell competitions. Click here to see one of the trophies and All Saints competition teams . The picture on the right shows the All Saints band after winning the 8 bell competition at Hurst in September 2004. Other pictures.
The Oxford Diocesan Guild holds 6, 8 and 10 bell competitions. The most famous ringing competition is the annual National 12-Bell Competition.
As well as ringing tower bells, some ringers (including several All Saints ringers) also ring changes on handbells. There is an active group in the area that meets regularly. When ringing changes 'in hand', each ringer has two bells (doing different things), one in each hand. Mostly changeringing on handbells is done in private, but there are occasional public performances, for example during a bell-themed concert at All Saints in 2001 to raise funds for the bell restoration project and for some weddings while the bells were out for restoration in 2004. Handbells are also rung at the annual tower dinner .
There is also an All Saints tune ringing handbell group , which operates more or less independently.
Ringers at All Saints do other things apart from ringing !
If you run a local society or group, we can give you a talk on bellringing and/or arrange a conducted tour of the tower . We also offer support and material for ringing related school projects .
The ringing at All Saints is typical of ringing in thousands of other towers that form the worldwide ringing community, linked together by formal and informal relationships, and all sharing a common interest. See More information about the world of ringing.
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