Edinburgh

There is no dedicated student practice in Edinburgh but students regularly ring at all three towers.

All three towers welcome ringers who are new to Edinburgh, whether they are beginners or advanced. You will find a warm welcome, and plenty of opportunities to improve your ringing skills. There are young ringers at all of the towers. Many ringers ring at more than one tower; they are all in central Edinburgh and you can walk easily between them.

St Mary’s Cathedral (12 bells): Practice night: Thursdays 7-9, 7-7.30 for bell handling (throughout the year) Contact: stmaryedin@sacr.org Repertoire: We use the ART training scheme and most of our ringing is aimed at beginners and improvers: we regularly ring Plain Bob, Grandsire, Little Bob, Stedman and some Surprise. We welcome all ringers, of all ages (at present we have ringers aged from 14 - 73), and at all stages in their learning. For our newest learners we have special handling sessions outside the main practice. Social activities: The Cathedral ringers normally organise an annual ringing outing, a social meal/activity and a walk. We often go to the pub for a drink after the practice.

St Cuthbert’s (10 bells): Practice night: Tuesdays 7.30-9 (not August) Contact: stcuthbert@sacr.org Repertoire: We welcome ringers of all ages and abilities. Ringing on practice night usually ranges from call changes and Plain Bob Doubles to Stedman Triples and surprise major. Some practices focus exclusively on 10-bell ringing, including everything from call changes on 10 to Yorkshire or Cambridge Surprise Royal. Social activities: St Cuthbert’s ringers go to the pub after the weekly practice, as well as coffee on Sundays. We meet for a night of quizzing once a year for the church’s annual fundraiser quiz.

New Town Church (8 bells): Practice night: Mondays 7-9, 7-7.30 for bell handling (not August) Contact: newtown@sacr.org Repertoire: All ringers are welcome. On practice nights we include everything from handling before the main practice to Stedman Triples and often a surprise major method of the month. Social activities: New Town ringers go to the pub after the practice. We hold an annual dinner after the AGM in November.

Advanced ringing opportunities:

• St Cuthbert’s and the New Town Church arrange joint quarter peals for advanced ringers. There is also an active peal ringing community in Scotland.
• Around three times a year the Scottish Association of Change Ringers holds an Advanced 10-bell practice at St Cuthbert’s, with methods such as Yorkshire, Bristol and Sgurr a’Chaorachain Surprise Royal.