University Bellringers
Students studying at University in Leicester join us for both practice nights and service ringing. The Halls of Residence for University of Leicester are in Oadby
Ringing at St. Peter's for Special Occasions
The bells are rung for church services, including for weddings, and to mark occasions of local, national and international importance. Sometimes this is general ringing, but sometimes we ring a peal or a quarter peal (see below). Some examples from recent years are:
- To mark the reinterment of King Richard III (two quarter peals)
- To celebrate St George's Day (quarter peal)
- To celebrate the Diamond Wedding of two Oadby ringers (quarter peal)
- To mark Remembrance Sunday (general ringing, with bells half muffled)
- To celebrate the birthdays of several of our ringers (quarter peal)
- In thanks for the life of local ringers and members of the congregation (quarter peal)
- To celebrate Leicester City winning the Premiership in 2016 (a method called Leicester City Treble Place Minor)
- As part of the St Peter's church Christmas Fair (quarter peal)
A peal is a piece of ringing comprising 5000 or more changes (each change being a single pull of each rope). A peal generally takes around 3 hours of continuous ringing, with one ringer on each rope throughout. We rarely ring peals at Oadby.
A quarter peal, as the name suggests, comprises 1250 or more changes, and generally lasts around 45 minutes. As with a peal the ringing is continuous, with one ringer on each rope throughout. We often ring quarter peals to mark special occasions.
Quarter peals rung at St Peter's this year
22 March 1260 St Simon Doubles 43 min
30 March 1280 Spliced Surprise Major (8m) 44 min
Quarter peals rung at St Peter's in previous years
2018
| 21 April | 1260 Doubles (6 methods) | 44 min | Rung before concert of English music in the church, to celebrate the Queen's birthday and St. George's Day |
| 29 Sept | 1260 Plain Bob Minor | 44 min | Rung in thanks for the life of Dick Harrison, for 52 years a member of the choir at St Peter's. |
| 10 Nov | 1259 Grandsire Triples | 47 min | Rung half-muffled by a University of Leiceter band to comemmorate the centenary of the founding of the University as a 'living memorial' to those who lost their lives in World War 1. |
2017 |
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28 Jan |
1312 Bristol Surprise Major |
45 min |
Rung in thanks for the life of Ian Fraser |
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25 Mar |
1288 Grandsire Triples |
44 min |
Rung as a farewell complement to Canon Rev Michael Rusk, Rector at Oadby. |
| 23 Apr | 1260 Plain Bob Minor | 43 min |
Rung after morning service as part of "Ringing for England" to celebrate St George's Day |
| 24 Jun | 1260 Grandsire Triples | 43 min |
Rung to celebrate the Diamond Wedding of John & Mary Hill, ringers at Oadby |
| 14 Oct | 1288 Grandsire Triples | 44 min |
Rung as a birthday compliment to an Oadby ringer |
| 20 Oct | 1260 Grandsire Triples | 44 min |
[Visiting band] |
| 2 Dec | 1280 Bristol Surprise Major | 43 min |
Rung in thanks for the life of former verger at St. Peter's, who died last week. |
Quarter peals rung at St. Peter's from 2014 to 2016
2016 |
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23 Apr |
1250 Cambridge Surprise Major |
43 min |
Rung on St George's Day, as a 90th birthday compliment to HM Queen Elizabeth II. |
14 May |
1288 Grandsire Triples |
44 min |
Rung to celebrate the enthronement of Rt Rev Martyn Snow as Bishop of Leicester. |
11 June |
1280 Windsor Treble Bob Major |
46 min |
Rung to celebrate the 90th birthday of HM Queen Elizabeth II. |
1 July |
1260 Grandsire Doubles |
44 min |
Rung half-muffled to commemorate the centenary of the Battle of the Somme. |
Grandsire Doubles was chosen because a peal of this method was rung on the bells after the unveiling of the war memorial next to the church, on 7th May, 1921 |
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5 Nov |
1260 Plain Bob Minor |
44 min |
Rung by past & present students & staff of University of Leicester, for birthdays |
26 Nov |
1320 Norwich Surprise Minor |
44 min |
Rung for St. Peter's Christmas Fair |
27 Dec |
1260 Mixed Doubles (11 methods) |
44 min |
Rung to mark the retirement of Frank Winters as Verger at St Peter's |
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2015 |
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22 Mar |
1260 Plain Bob Triples |
44 min |
Rung half-muffled by a University band to mark the procession
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28 Mar |
1280 Plantagenet Delight Major |
44 min |
Rung to celebrate the reintement of King Richard III at Leicester Cathedral |
14 Jun |
1250 Cambridge Surprise Major |
44 min |
Rung for the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta |
25 Jul |
1280 Double Norwich CB Major |
43 min |
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17 Aug |
1250 Yorkshire Surprise Major |
42 min |
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22 Aug |
1260 Plain Bob Doubles |
44 min |
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10 Oct |
1288 Grandsire Triples |
44 min |
Rung as a Golden Wedding compliment to Anne and Deryk, from St. Peter's |
7 Nov |
1260 Plain Bob Minor |
43 min |
Rung as a birthday compliment to Paul & Kate, members of the Oadby band |
28 Nov |
1250 Yorkshire Surprise Major |
43 min |
Rung as part of the St Peter's church Christmas Fair |
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2014 |
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2 Mar |
1260 Doubles (2 methods) |
43 min |
Rung before choral evensong |
29 Mar |
1260 Stedman Triples |
43 min |
Rung in thanks for the life of George Hebborn, longstanding ringer at Oadby |
10 May |
1250 Cambridge Surprise Minor |
44 min |
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14 Jun |
1320 Norwich Surprise Minor |
46 min |
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29 Jun |
1288 Grandsire Triples |
44 min |
Rung for Patronal Festival choral evensong |
31 Aug |
1288 Grandsire Triples |
44 min |
Rung to say farewell to Rev Bonnie Evans-Hills on completion of her curacy |
27 Sep |
1260 Doubles (6 methods) |
44 min |
Rung as part of the Market Harborough District quarter peal week |
29 Nov |
1250 Ashstead Surprise Major |
41 min |
Rung as part of the St Peter's church Christmas Fair |
23 Dec |
1288 Grandsire Triples |
42 min |
Rung in thanks for the life of Ivor Bentley, a longstanding ringer at Oadby |
Peals rung at St. Peter's since 2000
| 2008 | |||
| Wed 30 Jul | 5088 Oadby Surprise Major | 2 hr 38 min | Rung to celebrate 20 years since augmentation of the bells from six to eight |