The Quex Park Society of Change Ringers, KCACR.
Waterloo Tower, Quex Park
Saturday, 3 May 2008 in 47m (14–3–0)
1260 Grandsire Triples
1 Cathryn M Hills
2 Andrew M Hills
3 Mark Chittenden-Pile
4 Paul A Barton
5 Rebecca Davey
6 Philip M Hills
7 Michael J Little (C)
8 David Sheekey
First ringing from the 1st floor room ever.
Those ringers who have been to the Waterloo Tower, Quex Park, on the Isle of Thanet in East Kent, will appreciate that it is a most unusual place. Full sized rings of 12 bells, privately owned are pretty rare. Unless the visitor has had the opportunity to ascend the tower, they will have missed a further curiosity in that above the ground floor ringing room is another more beautiful light and airy empty room through which the ropes descend and are guided. This room is decorated to a high specification with larger windows, wood panelling and ornate plaster frieze and ceiling typical of the early 19th century when it was built. Many of us have wondered if this was the original ringing room designate, but judging by the rope bosses in the ceiling which indicate that the ropes would have fallen very close to the wall, it is concluded that it cannot have been used for ringing.
The Quex society members have talked for some years of pulling up the ropes and ringing from the upper room and thanks to the efforts of the Society Master, Mike Little, this notion became reality. During the week Mike refitted the ropes on the back eight to a hight suitable for ringing from the upper room, and at the weekend society meeting, we spent the Saturday afternoon ringing from the mystery room. We could not ring all 12 because it would have meant dismantling rope chutes on the 2nd and 3rd of the ring of 12.
Five quarter peals were attempted of which four were sucessful (see reports). After a barbequeue supper more open ringing ensued. We concluded the day very atmospherically ringing by storm lantern (there is no electricity in the tower) when we rang a touch of major then rounds fairly sucessfully on the 12 with the front four ringers ringing from ground level in a different room from the back eight ringers, the master bellowing the instructions to both rooms.
The picture is of the band who rang the first quarter from the upper room and are L-R (kneeling) Paul Barton, Philip Hills, Andrew Hills, Rebecca Davey, Mike Little (C), Cathryn Hills, Mark Chittenden-Pile and David Sheekey.