Bunbury Bellringers' visit to Liverpool Cathedral

On Sunday, 1st, October, about eighteen Bunbury ringers and friends travelled to Liverpool Cathedral in response to the kind invitation from Mr. Len Mitchell, the Cathedral Ringing Master, to ring the bells and tour the tower.

The visit, arranged by David Elsworth, started with an informal tour round the Cathedral at ground level, before taking the two lifts up the tower to see the bells. Due to its enormous size, the ring of twelve bells, even though they are the heaviest ring of bells in the world, were completely dwarfed inside the vast tower.

Some of the party ascended further by lift to the octagon and then climbed up a stairway to the tower roof, where there were magnificent views of Liverpool, the River Mersey and the Wirral peninsular.

Ringing started at about 1.30 p.m. and the Bunbury Ringers took their turns on the lighter bells, with learners under suitable supervision. As all the bells are rung from a circular platform some three feet off the ringing floor, it can be a bit off-putting ringing the Cathedral bells at first! It is perhaps noteworthy that Bunbury's seventh bell of 10cwt. approximates to the lightest, treble bell at Liverpool. At the other end of the scale is the Liverpool tenor bell, which weighs in at 82cwt.

After ringing finished, we all descended to ground floor level and went to the Cathedral Refectory for refreshments. So ended a memorable and eventful day. We look forward to another visit.

John Elsworth
Bunbury Tower Captain