Church Tower Policy

Our Bell Ringers

We have a very active band consisting of ringers of all ages, and we ring across the whole spectrum of bell ringing styles. We ring here, at our local schools and at St Mary Bradoc where we have our portable 8-bell mini ring, our full-sized dumbbell and simulator and our five-light weight Victorian bells. We have school and after school junior bell ringing clubs involving three local schools and our two churches. Our Junior Bell Ringers ring on the tone chimes, mini ring and tower bells and are often seen ringing for weddings or at local events including the Royal Cornwall show, and have rung inside and outside Truro Cathedral, and some have completed the Duke of Edinburgh's award
scheme. Cubs and scouts from across Cornwall use our facilities to obtain their bell ringing badge. 

 

Risk Assessment

A risk assessment has been carried out and the findings and management of risks are as follows:

  • Please do not touch the ropes unless you are a competent ringer
  • If you have ringers who are unused to ringing light bells please let them practice on the larger bells initially.
  • Please do not run between the bells or distract those who are ringing.
  • Please ring the bells down when leaving them.
  • They are a ground floor ring, with a small step up to the ringing chamber from the church and tower door.
  • There is emergency lighting to take you in and out of the church, and emergency lighting is provided while ringing.
  • The emergency exits are through the main south door or the tower door
  • The church is open at all times, but access for ringing purposes is restricted by locking the ropes.
  • There is no public access up the tower, the bells may be seen on the CCTV screen.
  • You will be met and the ropes unlocked for you.
  • In the case of an emergency mobile phone reception is normally available by the door of the south porch.
  • The post code for the church is PL22 0LF
  • The noise assessment indicates an internal leaq of 72.6 dB(A) when the ten bells are ringing.
  • Please ensure you have clean hands and cover cuts before ringing.
  • The treble bell is the sunshine yellow sally in the centre of the main arch.

 

Visiting bands

We welcome visiting bands of ringers. We ask that you respect the bells and ropes only ring with clean hands. The toilet and washing facilities are available to you adjacent to the tower, and a stock of Elastoplast’s are available to avoid bleeding on the ropes and we ask that any cuts are covered before your ring.

Boxes are supplied which provide six different height combinations and therefore we ask that you do not adjust our rope lengths.

Please report any damage you may have done to the person who let you in or the tower captain.

 

Ringing Peals

We restrict the number of visitor's peal attempts to one every three months. We charge a rope fee of £7.50 which goes towards the maintenance of the bells. Applications should be made to the secretary of the tower. We ask that you do not adjust the rope lengths. 

 

Ringing Quarter Peals

We restrict the number of visitor’s quarter peals to one a month. There is a charge of £2.50 a rope which goes towards the maintenance of the bells. We ask that you do not adjust the rope lengths.

Applications should be made to the secretary of the tower.

 

Car Parking

There is limited parking available at St Winnow and we ask that you share vehicles as much as possible and park to avoid blocking gateways and to allow farm machinery and animals to pass safely.

 

Emergency

  • In the case of an emergency mobile phone reception is normally available by the door of the south porch.
  • The post code for the church is PL22 0LF
  • The emergency exists are through the main south door or the tower door
  • The emergency gathering area is at the main entrance gate to the east of the church.
  • The captain of the Tower may be reached on 07483874939