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HUCKNALL (TORKARD?)
Bit of a long trek this one, right out to the end of the line and then a wander through Hucknall to the church. The Victorians decided that Hucknall church needed extending a bit, so attached to the old tower with its old tower-arch and the old nave are two massive transepts and a chancel that belong to a much bigger church. Thank goodness for the Victorians, because we arrived early and one of the massive transepts had been turned into a coffee corner and a loo facility. A few FODS chatted up the nice ladies and got themselves some tea, and most others used the loo while we waited.
Eventually enough turned up and we got the bells into quite a bit of simple stuff, and then a few leads of Bristol. The ropes of the 6th and seventh fell right next to the pendulum case and a few people were heard to be flapping loudly. Some of the ropes also tended to wibble about a lot as they went through the low ceiling, but otherwise they are a very nice modern eight. Back to the tram, and we began getting phone calls from people who had gone ahead early. The lunch pub was closed! An alternate location was found, and the people who didn’t have time to have lunch there had it in other places.
ALL SAINTS
was the next tower: a short walk away from the tram stop. I went and had lunch with the organiser and just went with him to the tower, so I got there on time.
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Do I get a house-point for that? Anyhow, I helped the nice key holder lady ring 1 and 2 up whilst Alex went back to the tramline to see if he could see any poofs whizzing past, because there was a worrying lack of FODS in the tower at 5 minutes after the starting time. Eventually they arrived and Cambridge, Plain Hunt and Plain Bob, and other things like the inevitable Rollercoasters were rung on these less than resonant bells. All Saints is the home of the Nottingham Uni Society, who seem to be slowly filling the ringing chamber with amusing signs and old computers.
Instead of traipsing back up the hill to the tram stop, we all decided to walk to the city centre for:
ST PETERS
I went off to buy some watches off an incredibly nice gent whilst, from what I hear, Alex had some difficulties with the "ringing chamber door" (the actual ringing chamber door was hiding further up the staircase, the mischievous thing) but they were ringing when I arrived and they sounded lovely. Stedman Caters, Plain Hunt Cinques and Little Bob Max were all rung, the Plain Hunt being the first changes on 12 for quite a few people. They are a nice chirpy 12 hung on 2 levels in a small tower.
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