The Lincoln Diocesan Guild
of
Church Bell Ringers

Celebrating ‘Lovely Lincolnshire’

Soon after the successful launch of the Lincolnshire Flag [above] I was contacted concerning my views on a date for a Lincolnshire Day. I said that I considered the Lincolnshire Rising of 1536 the most significant event in Lincolnshire’s history and that either 1 or 2 October would be appropriate dates.

Briefly the reasoning behind this was that on Sunday 1 October 1536 the vicar of St James church Louth [right] preached a sermon in which he referred to the closure of the smaller religious houses and rumours that all churches less that seven miles apart were to be closed and their valuables, including bells, sold to provide funds for the Kings Treasury. Clocks were rare and church bells were used for a variety of purposes and on 2 October 1536 one of the bells of St James church was tolled to call the people together. It was decided to march to Lincoln as a protest. Eventually 40,000 men camped around the Cathedral and a petition was despatched to the King.

Henry was obviously very concerned and in reply to the rebels demands he referred to them as ‘the rude commons of one shire, and that one of the most brute and beestlie of the whole realm....’ He ruthlessly ordered the rebels home and the rising was suppressed but Lincolnshire’s independence was established. 

I was informed that 1 October was to be regarded as Lincolnshire Day too late to inform people so that ringing could be arranged on a general basis.

However, a quarter peal of Lincolnshire Surprise Major was rung at Welbourn [left], and was reported on Radio Lincolnshire. Welbourn was a particularly appropriate venue because these are the ‘wild’ bells which Tennyson referred to in his epic poem ‘In Memoriam’. The bells at that time were at Hagworthingham which is near his home at Somersby.

 

The band in the photograph was as follows: L-R: John Underwood, Mick Stracey, Betty Stracey, Phil Mason, Dot Mason, Judith Williamson, John Ketteringham, Sylvia Taylor.

 

Please make a note in your diary that 1 October 2008 will be the day on which ‘All things Lincolnshire’ will be celebrated next year!

JRK

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