Master’s Quarter Peal Tour 2009- North Essex, 2nd-4th January
The tour began on Friday with Becky picking myself and Sarah West up from Reading station mid-afternoon then heading to Castle Hedingham, our home for the next few days. Amazingly, the trains were on time and no traffic jams on the M25 meant we were the first in the pub by 5 o’clock! The pub was The Bell Inn in Castle Hedingham – an old pub with lots of wooden furnishings, good food and most importantly, a good selection of beers. Others began arriving after 7 so there was plenty of drinking time for us three! A good evening in the pub was had, with everybody who was staying in the hall arriving safely (15 people approx). The hall was the Scout Hut in Castle Hedingham and it warmed up considerably with the heaters on for several hours while we were in the pub.
We woke up on Saturday to temperatures of -6C, with the thick ice on the cars delaying the getaway to the first quarter of the day. While they were ringing Stedman Caters at Bocking, Ross Sarah and I ‘began’ our search for a coffee shop. After walking through Castle Hedingham and driving through 8 villages (taking over an hour), we finally found a coffee shop (I’ll never take the many Cafe Nero’s in Cardiff for granted ever again!). We just had time to drink the coffee and drive the 20 minutes to Toppesfield to ring 8-spliced (turned out to be very good ringing). The other quarter rang at the same time was Plain Bob Minor in Gosfield. Then more good food and beer was had in the Bell Inn at lunchtime. Those in the quarter of Cambridge Minor at Castle Hedingham didn’t have far to walk after lunch, although the church was very cold and it was a long draught apparently. Rung at the same time was Stedman Triples at Wethersfield, although feet did turn into blocks of ice also and the bells were very quiet at this church.
After scoring all 5 quarters, we headed into Braintree for food, beer and more ringing at a local branch practice (we set out with good intentions). After parking in the Somerfield car park, we wandered through Braintree in search of good beer (we were used to it after drinking at the Bell Inn). After walking past 4 pubs with no such luck, we ended back up at the first pub we walked past (I’ve since found out the Wetherspoons was only a short walk in the other direction from the car park!). We now had a decision to make - curry or more ringing? As Percy pointed out, it wasn’t this choice we had to make, it was between curry and chinese! So we headed for a local curryhouse while Steve Sudbury waited for us in vain at the branch practice (sorry Steve!). We then headed back to Castle Hedingham and the Bell Inn for more beers and Baileys (Sarah, Becky and Rhiannon kept up the Baileys drinking in Sue’s absence). Then back at the hall, we all seemed quite tired and were in bed by 12.30 (a very civilised hour compared to usual for tours). The tour was concluded well on Sunday morning with some good ringing at Halstead (8) followed by a visit to a local cafe for breakfast.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable tour, with all 5 quarters achieved and generally a good standard of ringing (the quarters I rang in anyway!). There were a few minor setbacks with several attempts at some of the quarters, but no matter. Catering was a case of make your own toast in the morning, but we all seemed to be capable of that. Compared to other previous tours, it was quite civilised (Paul, you were missed). Many thanks to Jeanette and Steve for organising the tour and hall, and locating such an excellent pub.
Photos from Iain Scott available by clicking here. Although he did get some competition from Paul Kibblewhite in who could take the most photos!
- Dave Jones
Bocking, St Mary. Saturday 3rd January 2009 in 44 mins. 1287 Stedman Caters. Stephen W Penney (C) 1, Rhiannon M Meredith 2, Katherine Probert 3, Becky Shipley 4, Daniel Knight 5, Martyn Owen 6, Iain Scott 7, Rhyan Probert 8, Tim Payne 9, Paul Kibblewhite 10. Rung in celebration of the life of Isobel May Hollingsworth, much loved grandmother of 2, who died on 31st December.
Gosfield, St Catherine. Saturday 3rd January 2009 in 39 mins. 1272 Plain Bob Minor. Steve Sudbury 1, Daniel Knight 2, Paul Kibblewhite 3, Andy Barnes 4, Iain Scott 5, Martyn Owen (C) 6.
Toppesfield, St Margaret of Antioch. Saturday 3rd January 2009 in 43 mins. 1280 8-Spliced Surprise Major. Jeanette Fisher 1, Katherine Probert 2, Dave Jones 3, John Fisher 4, Ross E Hartley 5, Tim Payne 6, Stephen W Penney (C) 7, Rhyan Probert 8. 1st of 8-spliced: 3
Castle Hedingham, St Nicholas. Saturday 3rd January 2009 in 45 mins. 1296 Cambridge Surprise Minor. Rhiannon M Meredith 1, Becky Shipley 2, Paul Kibblewhite 3, Ross E Hartley 4, Tim Payne 5, Daniel Knight (C) 6.
Wethersfield, St Mary Magdeline. Saturday 3rd January 2009 in 48 mins. 1260 Stedman Triples. Sarah West 1, Jeanette Fisher 2, Iain Scott 3, Dave Jones 4, Martyn Owen 5, Roger Grieve 6, Stephen W Penney (C) 7, Andy Barnes 8. 1st in method: 1
