If you live in Barley you will have heard us ringing for services on Sunday mornings or practising on Tuesday evenings.Although you can learn bell ringing at specialist training centres, the vast majority of ringers, including all the Barley band, learnt and continue to learn at the weekly practices held in parish churches. In Barley we continue this tradition and are happy to teach ringing to anyone who is interested in this ancient art. You do not have to be physically strong, nor do you have to be a member of the Church, just come along one Tuesday to our practice. Naturally, if you have rung in the past and would like to start again, please come and say hello.Further Details:Practice nights: Tuesday 20:00 – 21:00 at St. Margaret of Antioch Church, BarleySunday ringing from 10:00 – 10:30 following the service pattern

The Bells

Barley has a ground floor ring of six bells. The recorded history of the bells starts in 1552 when there were 3 bells. By 1700 two more had been added to give a small ring of 5 bells. Then in 1807, “by voluntary subscription of the Rector and Parishioners”, the bells were recast by the Whitechapel Foundry into a ring of five, the back bells we see today. Lastly in 1921, the ring of six was completed by the addition of a new Treble, again cast by Whitechapel. The bells are mounted in an ancient oak frame and are well maintained and ring easily on plain bearings.