The Cambridge University Guild in Wiltshire

 As our organiser David Bishop put it in his invitation to this year's Guild Week, 'The nature of the accommodation will encourage a community spirit'! Not that there is ever any need to have 'dorms' to promote a feeling of fellowship on Guild week, it always seems naturally to exist even between those people who may not have (known) each other for many years past. (I will however just mention one downside of room sharing, which is when you discover that one of your ringing companions has a snore resembling an intermittent chainsaw.) Our base for the week was the Manor House at West Lavington, the prep school of Dauntsey's School. Here, notwithstanding the slightly spartan accommodation the rest of the facilities proved excellent; food that whilst not adventurous (at a prep school?) was of high quality and in high volume, and leisure facilities that were used and enjoyed by many. On one early evening walk I chanced upon a threesome engaged in battle with the small golf course, and was most impressed at a distance by a soaring drive from Philip Saddleton that landed plumb on the green. I thought, 'here's someone who knows what they're doing'. I was later informed that firstly it had been the wrong green, secondly it had been his only good shot of the round, and thirdly he had lost the match. He had however been slightly mollified when beating around the undergrowth three times for lost balls to turn up with five.

On the evidence of this week the average ring in Wiltshire is a good one, and this makes a pleasant change for someone now resident in Essex where, with all due consideration to the feelings of native ringers, the same can definitely not be said. Of many excellent rings a few stand out in my mind; the eights at Bishop's Cannings and of course at Westbury, the ten at Swindon and the six at Heytesbury. Other towers recall themselves for other reasons than their bells; Compton Bassett where the tower door still shows clear evidence of the mad axe-woman's attack; Avebury with its impressive standing stones encircling the village and where a fresh crop-circle was evident (why do they bother?); Lacock, where after lunch Tony Finch got left behind while examining rather too thoroughly the NT Priory and was rescued on the evening journey back to base; Pewsey, where whilst descending the tower stairs Iain Anderson was heard to enquire of his wife, 'Did I have a ring here or not?'; Aldbourne, where the handling antics at the Old Forge Campanile mini-ring proved an amusing diversion until you tried it for yourself; and Colerne, where the Guild's penchant for navigation on the steepest hills and narrowest roads available (preferably with grass growing down the middle) was brought to the fore. Whilst proceeding along one such lane Philip Saddleton (navigating) was heard to urge the driver to go faster round the completely blind bends with the encouragement 'There won' be anything coming the other way, this road doesn't actually go anywhere'! [It wasn't me - I was driving! Ed]

A number of peals and quarters were scored, the only lost peals being Stedman Caters in hand twice (a consolation quarter was successful) and at Bishop's Cannings. Here the often evidenced unwillingness of Guild members to be dictated to was to blame, it being traditional that the edicts of the peal organising committee as to band and method are taken as a starting point for negotiation rather than being set in stone. The ambition of the conductor was such that Cambridge was attempted rather than the advised Plain Bob. As is so often the case with overweening ambition it turned to dust in Professor Nutton's mouth. Not that other peals were without incident; particularly notable being an attempt by Paul Williamson with only about a quarter of an hour to go to spike the peal at Trowbridge by performing his own rather spectacular version of the Indian Rope Trick.

It was reported at the annual Guild Week business meeting that the recent AGM had been a four hour marathon due to Rule 27 amendments having been proposed. The president therefore seized the opportunity to conduct this meeting with slightly more despatch. He had apparently pre-warned the reporting member of the 'Committee Sodalitis' (at present, and it seems for some decades past considering the suitability of the proposed Guild motto) that his report should last no more than 20 seconds. By my count it actually took Professor Nutton about twice that to inform us that the frantic activity the committee had been engaged in might make it possible to bring forward for consideration an interim report by next year (or possibly the year after). Even so this was considerably shorter than other reports on the committee's activities than I recall! The main import of the meeting was however that the organisation of next year's Guild Week by Tim Watt was already well in hand, and would be from 21 -28 August 1999, based on Grenville College, Bideford, Devon.

Evening entertainment centred upon the local hostelries where notwithstanding his difficulties with rope, Paul Williamson proved accurate with a ball and won the skittles. Amusement was also provoked around the pub table after very sadly Alison Godfrey had had to leave halfway through the week with what we hope was a not too serious indisposition. Chris Rogers announced that he would be very willing to deliver a get well card by hand since he had some pillows (!) of Alison's to return, leaving us all to speculate upon the exact nature of their relationship. The main entertainment however proved to be the walk back to the Manor House through the woods, the path having thoughtfully been provided by Dauntsey's School with several flights of steep, narrow and uneven steps. The way was in theory lighted, but only two out of six lights actually worked. Those Guild members who had presciently armed themselves for the week with a torch were much in demand as companions at closing time.

Good friends, good food, good bells and good weather. What more can one ask for? Many thanks to David Bishop for organising such a memorable week.

SATURDAY, 15th AUGUST
 

3.00 - 3.45	Great Cheverell, St. Peter's	6	11 cwt	G	SU980543
4.00 - 4.45	Market Lavington, St. Mary of the Assumption	6	14 cwt	G	SU014541
5.00 - 5.45	West Lavington, St. Mary Magdalene	6	12 cwt	G	SU006530

4.00 pm

Trowbridge, St. James

12

24 cwt

D

ST856580

 

SUNDAY, 16th AUGUST

For Morning Service
 

9.55 - 10.45

Bishop's Cannings, St. Mary the Virgin

8

15 cwt

Eb

SU038642

For Evensong
 

5.45 - 6.30

Devizes, The Blessed Virgin Mary

6

17 cwt

Eb

SU006616

MONDAY, 17th AUGUST
 

10.00 - 10.45	Swindon, Christchurch	10	22 cwt	Eb	SU157839
11.15 - 12.00	Wootton Bassett, St. Bartholomew and All Saints	8	19 cwt	E	SU066825
12.15 - 1.00	Bremhill, St. Martin's	6	19 cwt	E	ST980730

TUESDAY, 18th AUGUST
 

9.30 - 10.30	Avebury, St. James  (allows time for sightseeing)	6	4 cwt	D	SU100700
10.40 - 11.20	Broad Hinton, St. Peter ad Vincula  (advised onward route via Hackpen Hill)	6	9 cwt	E	SU106763
12.00 - 1.00	Aldbourne, St Michael  Aldbourne, The Old Forge Campanile	8	19 cwt	Eb	SU264758 SU264758
	(by kind permission of Marc Hart and  Katrina Lenton)

WEDNESDAY, 19th AUGUST
 

8.00 am	Corporate Communion, St. Mary Magdalene,  West Lavington (vicar ex York Minster ringer)
9.30 - 10.15	Bromham, St. Nicholas	6	15 cwt	E	ST963652
10.30 - 11.15	Heddington, St. Andrew  (route to Lacock via Sandy Lane recommended)	6	8 cwt	G	ST999662
11.30 - 12.15	Lacock, St. Cyriac	6	12 cwt		ST917685

THURSDAY, 20th AUGUST
 

9.30 - 10.15	Collingbourne Kingston, St. Mary	6	19 cwt	E	SU239558
10.30 - 11.15	Shalbourne, St. Michael	6	12 cwt	F	SU315635
11.30 - 12.15	Great Bedwyn, St.Mary	6	26 cwt	D	SU278643

 

12.30

Guided tour of CROFTON BEAM ENGINE

 

2.45 - 3.30	Pewsey, St. John the Baptist	6	12 cwt	F#	SU164598
3.45 - 4.30	Upavon, St. Mary the Virgin	6	14 cwt	F#	SU136550
4.45 - 5.45	Urchfont, St.Michael and All Saints	8	21 cwt	D	SU041573

FRIDAY, 21st AUGUST
 

9.55 - 11.00	Edington, St. Mary, Katherine and All Saints	10	24 cwt	D	ST926533
11.00 - 11.30	Bratton, St. James the Great	6	11 cwt	G	ST914519
12.00 - 1.00	Westbury, All Saints	8	35 cwt	C#	ST875515

SATURDAY, 22nd AUGUST
 

9.45 - 10.45	Amesbury, St. Mary and Melorus	8	22 cwt	D	SU152414
11.15 - 11.45	Marden, All Saints	6	12 cwt	F	SU086579
12.00 - 12.30	All Cannings, All Saints	5	14 cwt		SU069615

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Last updated 17 January 2001