The Ringing Centre runs a series of courses and practices designed to teach the art of bellringing.

We offer the Learning the Ropes syllabus. This is designed to take new ringers from first lessons all the way through to becoming a proficient change ringer

The Scheme is split into five stages, or Levels. The skills developed at each Level are bell handling, listening skills, ropesight skills, understanding ringing Jargon and the theory of change ringing plus an introduction to conducting.

Get a PDF of the syllabus here

Newcomers

Prospective newcomers are welcome to come to any of the practice sessions listed below to meet some of the ringers and see what happens in a bell tower.

Beginners are welcome at St James, Bermondsey on Tuesday evenings between 7.30 and 9.30pm. They are also welcome at St Dunstan, Stepney on Thursday evenings between 7.30 and 9.30pm.

In addition, there is also a monthly practice at Camberwell held on the first Friday in the month between 7.00 and 9.00pm.

‘Tied bell’ practices using the Abel simulator can be scheduled, by arrangement, at Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, Stepney or Isle of Dogs. These are used for initial bell handling, ringing rounds etc,

Target practices

From time to time we arrange a series of additional ‘target’ practices aimed at helping a small group of pupils reach a special objective, for example learning to hunt the treble to a method or ringing a method inside before ringing a ‘quarter peal’. These can be either additional sessions using ‘live’ ringers or ‘simulator’ sessions with just a learner and instructor. For further details, pleasecontact us.

Quarter Peals

Our practices are followed up with a regular programme of quarter peal attempts at various towers.