If a beginner or experienced - If you are interested in joining the St Andrew's ringing team, contact Tower Captain John Vigar 01458 250536 Ringing practice first Wednesday of the month, 7.30.
Listen to this fascinating BBC Radio 4 exploration of the tradition of English bellringing https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001g8rt
Remembrance Sunday '24 video Half-muffled rounds
25th July '24 Mark Brown, a descendant of the Thyer family who left High Ham in 1871 for Kansas USA, joined 12 of us at St Andrew’s for an opportunity to ring a bell. With the help of from Tower Captain, John Vigar, he did, and more! Over the last 3 days, people generously gave their time to tell Mark about his family history in HH, where they once lived, worked, and were buried. Thank you to Viv, Dave and Polina, John V and the bellringers, Lucas and Pete. Mark joined John and Amanda for lunch and an afternoon of entertaining conversation. Mark loved every minute of his time in HH.
19th May'24 Songs of Praise and birthday cake!
St Andrew’s bellringers pausing for birthday cake and a drink during ringing rounds, Kings, Queens, for the morning Songs of Praise. Thank you Margaret for the refreshments, and best wishes from John, Caroline, Jane, Amanda, Geoff, Debbie, Hannah and Mary. Happy Birthday. The team will be ringing on 6th June D Day.
Easter Sunday '24 and the St Andrew’s bellringing team enjoyed an hour of ringing Queens, Kings, sustained by Easter chocolates: John, Hannah, Geoff, Amanda, Caroline and Debbie, and apprentice ringer Maggie. During a brief pause, chocolates were dropped through the squint hole to the vestry below for some lucky person to find! Thank you Maggie for taking the videos. Easter Sunday morning and the St Andrew’s bellringing team enjoyed an hour of ringing Queens, Kings, sustained by Easter chocolates: John, Hannah, Geoff, Amanda, Caroline and Debbie, and young apprentice ringer Maggie. During a brief pause, chocolates were dropped through the squint hole to the vestry below for some lucky person to find! Thank you Maggie for taking the videos.
Christmas Eve '23 For the first time, the bells were rung for the Mass at 6pm instead of the traditional 10pm. The earlier ringing did not hinder the laughter, eating, drinking.
Remembrance Day, 12th November'23: video This morning, St Andrew’s ringing team was joined by PC Andrew Vigar to keep us in order when ringing Queen’s, half-muffled! Ringers: Andrew, Jane, John, Amanda, Kay, Caroline, Hannah and Debbie.
Coronation Day 6th May '23: 3 churches were visited by bellringers from St Andrews High Ham and St Marys Huish Episcopi. The ringing began at St. Andrews, then St Marys with the final ringing at St John the Baptist Pitney. There was a final ringing at St Andrew’s on Sunday.
Easter Sunday '23 https://www.facebook.com/groups/700821949996839/permalink/6144517708960542/. St Andrew’s bellringers, aided by the consumption of Easter eggs and the usual banter, ringing for this morning’s 11am service: Tower Captain - John, Maggie, Amanda, Nick, Debbie, Geoff, Caroline, Mary. We will be ringing on Coronation Day, and on the 7th
December '22 The bells were rung before the Carol Service on the 18th, Carols Round the Christmas Tree on the 23rd, and the Christmas Eve service.
November '22 To mark St Andrew's Day we rang at St Andrew's Aller (mulled cider aided the ringing) and St Andrew's High Ham.
19th September '22 The day of Queen Elizabeth 11 State Funeral. The bells were rung half-muffled.
From left: Alex Long, John Vigar, Kay Vigar, Dave Scriven, Maggie Scriven, Debbie Ford, Amanda Chuter, Mary Magwick, Hannah Rice, Geoff Webb, Caroline Murray-Gourlay, Nick Fear
9th September '22 To mark the death of Queen Elizabeth 11, the bells were rung half-muffled.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/1750610925158276/permalink/3275736092645744/
April '22 The Scriven family gathering on the 18th April at St Andrew’s High Ham. They rang half-muffled rounds in memory of Vera Scriven. Maggie Hibbert leading. The muffles were gifted to St Andrew’s ringers by the family. The Scriven family have a long tradition of ringing. 2 of the Scriven ringers are novices and were supported by other members of the family who ring at Long Sutton.
February 6th '22 Accession Day. Queen's, Call Changes and Rounds were rung by the team to mark 70 years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
December '21 The bells were rung before the annual 'Carols Round the Christmas Tree', and on Christmas Eve in between resting and chat! Video
NOVEMBER '21 Remembrance Sunday The bells of St Andrew’s High Ham were rung half-muffled this morning for Remembrance Sunday: Tower Captain - John Vigar, and the other ringers: Andrew Vigar, Geoff Webb, Amanda Chuter, Caroline Murray-Gourlay, Nick Fear, Kay Vigar, Kay Vigar, Mary Magwick, Maggie Hibberd. Video
4th August '21 The bellringers are back after 17 months of silence - the last time the bells were silent for so long was in 1919. The ringers: John and Jane Vigar, Amanda Chuter, Caroline, Nick Fear, Mary Magwick, Debbie Ford, Geoff Webb
November '20
Debbie giving advice to Geoff at 2019 pre-'Carols Around the Christmas Tree' ringing.
Christmas Eve 2017
