About the ringing
St Martin's has a long tradition of change-ringing on the higher
numbers dating back to 1758. It was the first tower to record 100
peals of Stedman Cinques (reached in 1914), and the first live
radio broadcast of ringing took place from here in 1924. In the
1980s the Sunday Service band rang peals of Spliced and Orion
Surprise Maximus; in 1991 the bells were augmented to create the
world's first ring of 16.
The current Sunday Service band is very strong in terms of
members and ability. Attendance usually numbers in excess of 20;
methods, including Orion Surprise Maximus and Bristol Surprise
Sixteen, are rung to a high standard every week.
The band provides the nucleus for the Birmingham entry for the
National Twelve Bell Striking Contest for the Taylor Trophy, which
Birmingham has held a record 16 times in the 34 year contest
history. Since 2005 the band which has rung in the competition has
comprised all St Martin's ringers.
In November 2008 the Sunday Service band rang a peal of Bristol
Surprise Sixteen to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the first
peal in the tower, which had also been rung by the St Martin's
ringers.
The Tuesday practice operates at an advanced level,
concentrating on 12 and 16-bell method ringing. It provides
valuable opportunities for ringers in Birmingham to build on
existing higher-numbers abilities and develop their striking and
method ringing skills.
The practice is structured with a method repertoire reflecting
what is rung on a Sunday, and providing a route for ringers to
progress from an entry-level of Stedman Cinques through to complex
methods and spliced.
Repertoire on 12:
Stedman Cinques, Cambridge S Maximus, Bristol S Maximus, Zanussi S
Maximus, Orion S Maximus, spliced in these methods, and the Orion
Principle.
Repertoire on 16:
Stedman Septuples, Littleport Little S Sixteen, Bristol S
Sixteen
Visitors are welcome to join the practices or Sunday ringing
sessions and will be accomodated as appropriate. We would ask
that prospective groups contact us beforehand, especially with
regard to Sundays as the tower is often full and ringing is run to
a tight schedule. The bells can be made readily available to
visiting bands at other times by arrangement.