We welcome ringers and non-ringers to come and visit the tower
The Leeds Minster Society of Change Ringers was re-founded in July 1998 under its old name of ‘St Peter’s Society of Change Ringers’. The name had been little used in the previous forty years but, in various forms, dates back to the eighteenth century. Affectionately known as ‘SPSCR’, it adopted its present name at its AGM in 2012, a few weeks after the Parish Church became Leeds Minster. The present company of ringers undertakes a busy schedule. This includes the two principal Sunday Services, services on mid-week festivals and Holy Days, and the Thursday practice night, which can involve almost thirty people week by week. Our standard 12-bell fare includes Plain Bob, Grandsire & Stedman Cinques and Cambridge, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire & Bristol Surprise Maximus.
We welcome ringers and non ringers to come and visit the tower and ask only that visiting ringers please ring well within their capabilities. Leeds Minster are a demanding but rewarding ring of bells in a residential city-centre location and we aim to produce a high standard of ringing at all times so as not to annoy the neighbours! Ideally, please contact us to let us know when you are coming, because there are fairly frequent departures from normal routine to accommodate extra or special services.
Ringing at Leeds Parish Church is synonymous with the name R. H. Dove, the author of A Bellringer’s Guide to the Church Bells of Britain, a synopsis of all the peals of bells within the British Isles and, indeed, the world. The history of ringing at the Parish Church goes back to the period when the present art was being developed. The ‘first Peal ever rung in Leeds’ (as recorded on a peal board in the tower) – and no doubt one of the earliest peals in Yorkshire – was rung on the newly-augmented eight on the 30th June 1742. It consisted of 5,040 changes of Grandsire Triples and took 3 hours 8 minutes.
Practice: Thursdays 7.30pm-9.00pm
Sunday Service: 9.45-10.30am and 4-5.30pm (by arrangement)
We also receive requests several times a year from visiting teams of ringers from all over the country to come and ring our bells, as well as to ring for weddings, funerals, special services or national events.
To see when we are ringing please click here
The Ringing Master, Paul Bennett, can be contacted at LMSCR.master@gmail.com and the Secretary, Simon Kemp, who deals with all requests for visits and peals, at LMSCRsec@gmail.com.
In 1842, on completion of the present building, its tower contained the world’s first ring of thirteen, cast by Mears and Stainbank of Whitechapel, London. This was a true ring of twelve bells with an additional bell to allow a change of key to a musically true lighter ring of eight. This practice is now adopted in most twelve-bell towers. The Parish Church bells were also reputed to be the first ever bells to travel by rail.
