Peal of Durban church bells charms visitors, locals

LOCALS could be forgiven for wondering what day of the week it was on Monday, as the melodic church bells rang at St Paul's Church in the CBD and again in the afternoon at St Mary's Church in Greyville.

Some of the UK's most highly regarded bellringers were in town as part of a bellringing tour of Africa to enjoy the art and share their bell ringing experience with Durban's bellringers.

A distinctive feature of St Mary’s is its bell tower. Almost every Sunday morning and on festive days the bells ring out over Greyville, so locals were pleasantly surprised by the afternoon ringing, some even came to the church to see what was happening.

“It's divine to hear the church bells ringing,” said Angela Knightley who made her way to enjoy St Mary's peal of ten fine bells being rung.

Young Guy McCarthy came to hear the bells with his grandmother, Janet, “It's been very cool, maybe I will be a bellringer. We are enjoying it very much indeed,” they said.

Nola Mitchell, of the Durban Guild of Church Bellringers said the visit from the group of 28 ringers from various parts of England and two from Australia was very exciting for local bellringers to meet and ring with these very experienced ringers.

“Apart from general ringing the visitors and locals were particularly pleased that two quarter peals were attempted – one at St Paul’s and one at St Mary’s and both were successful. A quarter peal takes about three quarters of an hour to ring and consists of over 1,200 changes. This takes a great deal of concentration and skill,” she added.

Mitchell became involved with bellringing while giving an English relative lifts to either St Mary's or St Paul's churches where he would ring with locals. “On one such occasion he invited me to join him to see the ringers in action. I found the activity fascinating to watch and was delighted when the band leader asked me to “pull a rope” – naturally under his careful supervision. After a few “pulls” I was “hooked” and have been ringing in both churches regularly for over ten years,” she said.

Still fascinated by the ancient art, Mitchell said, “ringing provides a good physical and mental workout. I personally enjoy being part of our local band of bell ringers – the members of the group of all ages and denominations are very friendly and sociable.

“It is a constant challenge for existing ringers to keep this four hundred year old tradition alive. We are always looking for new people to join us: without these there can be no future for the art; anyone is welcome to come and see ringing in action at St Mary’s and or St Paul’s to learn to ring or merely to watch. We meet most Wednesday evenings either at St Paul’s or St Mary’s for practice. Anyone can learn to ring from about the age of eight to over eighty!”

There are only nine churches in South Africa that have bells hung for change ringing, the type of bellringing at St Mary's and St Paul's, a far cry from the more than 5000 churches with change bells and at least 40 000 bellringers in England.

Visiting bellringer Dave Kelly said it was his first time in South Africa and he was excited to ring at the various churches. The group arrived in Johannesburg last Friday where they rang at churches and a school over the weekend and were delighted to ring in Durban before heading to Grahamstown and Cape Town. “Bellringing is an activity comparable to any sport because you have to be fit as the heaviest bell is 900kg. You don't need to learn music but its helpful to have a good sense of rhythm.”

Bellringing couple Christine and Ian McCallion from the UK both got into bellringing as teenagers. “It is unusual that nobody in our family were ringers but we just took to it. We met while I was bellringing at a church in Hursley,” Christine said.

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