Ringing at Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire

Ringing at Poulton-le-Fylde, St Chad. Poulton is a comfortable town near Blackpool (but NOT part of Blackpool!) and right in the centre of it is this rather nice church, 18th century nave, 15th century tower and Victorian apse. The bells are a mixture of founders, the last additions being the Mears & Stainbank trebles of 1937. They are really not easy to ring and the bells can barely be heard in the ringing chamber which doesn't help with striking!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Poulton
• le
• Fylde
• St
• Chad
• church
• Lancashire
• Association
• Blackpool
• Branch
• bells
• bellringing
• campanology
• tower
• belfry
• method
• rounds
• Grandsire
• Triples
• peal
• changeringing
• sonnerie
• cloches
• campane
• campanas
• glocken
• klokken

[bellboy222]

I rang here a few years back. We had a day on the fylde during a week's tour in the area. Although some adjustments to the way these bells are set up would be in order, they were the best sounding ring we rang on on that day. Although that's not saying much, it speaks volumes about the shit quality of rings on the fylde! Is there one good one?

[timmeh1507]

@bellboy222 I'm not sure if it technically counts as 'Fylde' but yes - Pilling are excellent. Apart from that, Churchtown are pleasant enough.

[BMWFTW123]

My mum got married at st chads, poultons lovely, ive lived here since i was 4 im nearly 17 now

[fartwell2000]

@bellboy222 In Lancs, there are plenty of shite rings, but also plenty of good ones- the Fylde has a large portion of shite ones. A fair portion of rings up here could be improved without spending much money-acoustics, go, etc. A big problem is that few people really know what they are doing with improvements, and also some people think they know better and block things from getting done, even with volounteer work and material costs paid/part paid. Some are just miserable and say no, regardless

[fartwell2000]

@timmeh1507 I do agree, lots of places up here do need the internal acoustics sorting out-which is why we got Barnoldswick bang-on inside. At some places, it is like ringing with cotton wool in your ears.

[timmeh1507]

@fartwell2000 I have rung at Morecambe tonight! The tower is possibly the smallest I have seen bells squashed into. Up here people seem to like not being able to hear the bells. The little hints of bell sound heard above the rumbling sounded pretty good.

[timmeh1507]

@pretorium you can hear nothing at all. That is the main problem.

[fartwell2000]

@pretorium Well another peal must be due there soon then...Good old Fr Ken.

[pretorium]

@fartwell2000 I once saw Miss Barrett at a branch meeting in the late 80's & asked Miss Barrett " when can I have a peal at Poulton Miss Barrett" & she answered "Never"! We got them in 1991 finally & It was a Sunday & I couldn't ring! Ken Rider paid his £5 peal fee in pennies just to wind her up.

[pretorium]

@timmeh1507 I don't think it was the bells to blame for the bad striking. Rapped knuckes, Bad boy!... the bells are rubbish & a bit odd struck but these are not the best band of ringers - ropesight alone & being able to hear nothing at all would produce better results than this the - bells aren't THAT odd struck