I was fortunate to be invited to Taylor’s Bell Foundry in Loughborough the other day to witness the production of two new bells for the Festival’s main concert venue - St. Andrew’s church in Grinton. Along with a party of people associated with the church, I enjoyed a fascinating tour of the foundry and the museum next door.
When the new bells are hung in the tower later this year there will be a total of eight - a full octave - for the first time ever. We will enjoy hearing them at Festival time in years to come and, as a rudimentary ringer myself, I look forward to trying them out with the Grinton team.
Another of our regular concert venues - St. Mary’s in Richmond - has launched an appeal to raise the money for eight new bells. In order to help with the appeal, the ringers at St. Mary’s, in association with the Swaledale Festival, are hosting a special introductory drop-in session during this year’s Festival - from 14:15 to 17:15 on Tuesday 7 June. There will be a chance to visit the ringing chamber, see the bells, meet the ringers and even have a go on an amazing contraption called a ‘OneBell Wombell’. Everyone is welcome and refreshments will be available. You may also like to attend the organ recital by the distinguished Durham Cathedral organist James Lancelot which immediately precedes the drop-in session. You will find more details on our 2016 Programme page.