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Bellringers in Bathurst, New South Wales, practice change ringing, a tradition dating to 1600s England, with the world's oldest bellringer, Chris Bacon, 98.
As dusk descends on Machattie Park in Bathurst, Central West New South Wales, bells toll joyfully from nearby All Saints Cathedral. These Bathurst bellringers are continuing a tradition that began in England in the 1600s. The practice is known as change ringing, featuring brass bells attached to wooden wheels. Oriana Zanon, Bathurst ringing master, describes it as a secret society but a lovely community.
The Ancient Art of Change Ringing
Change ringing involves music compositions called methods, which resemble rows of code rather than music notes. These are written for six to 12 bell ringers. Players are assigned roles like ring masters, who run the band; steeple keepers, who maintain the bells; and tower captains, who guide and mentor their groups.
The tradition is both mentally and physically taxing, and many peal attempts fail. Later this year, Ms Zanon will join ringers from central west NSW and Sydney to attempt a peal in the Bathurst church tower. This effort honors 98-year-old Bathurst ringer Chris Bacon, reputed to be the world's oldest bellringer.
Bathurst’s Historic Bell Tower
Bathurst's All Saints Cathedral opened in 2009 and features windows that showcase the ringing platform. During the construction of the Bathurst belltower in 2009, experienced ringers from Sydney came out to the central west to train Mr Bacon and the band. Ms Zanon said she thought there can't be too many hobbies where people are prepared to do that for each other.
She also noted that it's really hard to learn, and it can take 12 weeks to learn how to put two strokes together. She emphasized that it's important for bellringers to not lose concentration.
Orange’s Accomplished Ringer
Just up the highway, the town of Orange is home to one of the world's most accomplished ringers. Jim Woolford is the tower captain for the Orange Pealers and former master ringer at churches across the UK, and Sydney's St Mary's and St Andrew's cathedrals. Having participated in thousands of peals for weddings, funerals or dignitaries, he fuels himself like a marathon runner, monitoring hydration and blood sugar levels.
At lower levels it is intense, people have to concentrate, but you reach a point where it is meditation, Mr Woolford said. He trains other ringers in Orange using a TV screen in the belltower as a simulator. We have a practice on a Monday, another practice on a Tuesday and then we have one-on-one sessions using the simulator, he said.
Passing the Tradition to Future Generations
Mr Woolford said he was focusing on preparing his younger ringers to teach the art themselves. There are lots of towers across the world where the bells are not rung anymore because there are no teachers, no people with the expertise, he said.
Bathurst steeple keeper Richard Hurford is a fourth-generation ringer, with his great-grandfather George Hurford the city's first. Richard Hurford holds a picture of his great-grandfather, bellringer George Hurford. My son has started ringing now. I feel part of a very ancient tradition, he said. You have friends for life, wherever in the world they are.
Ms Zanon added that you only know about bellringing if you're a bellringer. The community remains dedicated to preserving this historic practice for future generations.
Bathurst Bellringing Change Ringing All Saints Cathedral Chris Bacon Oriana Zanon Jim Woolford
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