1. Christmas Bells Words and music by Rod Hall
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Rod Hall’s joyous song mentions some ancient local churches where for centuries, Christian bellringers have traditionally rung out for Christmas Day celebration:
All Saints Calverton was first recorded in 1068 – claimed to be ‘the oldest Church foundation in Buckinghamshire’[1]. The present building opened in 1818; its eight bells, three of which were installed in 2019, produce the standard ‘full circle ring’. Passenham, St Guthlac dates back to the 13th/14th centuries but was largely rebuilt in the early 1600s. It can create a ‘ring of five’ from the treble, the lightest and highest-pitched bell, to the lowest-pitched - a mighty tenor weighing 18cwt (900kg)! Beachampton’s Assumption of St Mary the Virgin also dates from the 14th century. Part of its belltower was rebuilt in 1873–74 by GE Street, the ‘Gothic Revival’ architect and designer of the London’s Royal Courts of Justice. Its five ‘full circle ring’ of bells were overhauled in 2011. Throughout the Milton Keynes Borough area, there are 26 church towers housing a total of 168 bells. They range from Olney’s 10 bells to Newton Blossomville’s three, with the rest reverberating with either six or eight bells. Even the simplest bell-ringing methods can involve up to 720 permutations of six bells[2]; those which have at least seven can resort to ‘Change Ringing’ such as ‘Grandsire Triples’[3] – but not all ringers know how to do it! The song mentions some local hotspots too: Gib Lane is in Calverton Village near Stony Stratford. It lies behind the Manor House – rumoured to be where the murderer of its owner, Lady Bennett, escaped…[4] and close to where he was later the subject of a public hanging, on a gibbet (gallows). Higlin’s Piece is pastureland behind Calverton Road bordering the river. In 2014, it was considered for housing development by Milton Keynes Council until local opposition – mounted over three years – caused the plan to be dropped. Horsefair Green is at the southern end of Stony Stratford’s historic core. A public open space, it is part of the town’s conservation area with 16 buildings listed - half are 18th century and half 19th century, including the Baptist Chapel built in 1823. Christmas Bells can be heard being sung with great gusto by Loughton Manor First and Middle Schools[5] on Living Archive MK’s two albums celebrating Calverton Manor Farm: Calverton: the Songs; and The Horse and the Tractor, a radio ballad which includes the recorded voices of people from Calverton whose stories inspired the songs.[6] [1] From The History of All Saints - All Saints - A Church Near You [2] Information from Ruth Adams, an experienced campanologist living in Castlethorpe. [3] From http://www.northbucksbranch.org.uk/ [4] Read the full story of the murder later in this book - song number 31: ‘The Ghost of Lady Bennet’ [5] Download of digital performance is supplied on the song’s webage [6] Hear these songs on Christmas Bells | The Living Archive Band (bandcamp.com) |
Market Square Stony Stratford
Children playing in Silver Street, looking towards Horsefair Green, 1930s
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