Category Archives: Chale
CHALE PRACTICE CANCELLED – 1st February
St. Andrew’s, Chale,
NO RINGING PRACTICE this Thursday, 1ST FEBRUARY
This is a message from Edwin Cole, Tower Captain, today.
It’s a temporary measure as the Ringing Room will be unavailable.
FUNERAL OF IAN ATHERTON
Ian passed away 9th November.
For all of Ian’s friends – you would be very welcome to attend the Cremation Service; it’s on Tuesday 28th November – 10 a.m. – at Poole Crematorium, Gravel Hill, Broadstone, Bournemouth, Poole BH17 9BQ
Family flowers only, please – donations to the local hospice LEWIS MANNING. Ian volunteered as a driver for many years and then later on worked in its local charity shop.
Any messages of condolence including cards for the family can be sent to Viv Nobbs through the usual channels, please.
Ian was a non-ringer BUT he was very supportive of ringing and loved the heritage of ringing. He was also keen on canals, traction engines and steam railways, something a lot of ringers seem to be interested in also.
Even though he lived in Poole, his main two ways of giving to the Isle of Wight’s ringing world was by helping with the fund raising and getting his hands dirty in local bell restoration projects (he had been a hands on volunteer at the major restoration work at Arreton and also at Ryde).
He was a member of The Society for the Preservation of Isle of Wight Church Bells for many years and, until ill-health struck, a regular on the gates at the Chale Show – hence the venue of St Andrew’s Church at Chale for a quarter peal on Saturday which is to be rung ‘open’ in his memory. He was proud to have been born a “Londoner” – so London Surprise Minor seems a fitting method.
As a side note I am told Ian was a bit keen on the cooking side with his adventurous lumpy custard and very lumpy gravy being legendary!
RIP Ian, the fun will be sorely missed by all who knew you.
CHALE BACK TO RINGING
News reaches my ears from the deep south that repairs and checks have been made on the bells at Chale and as a consequence will hold their normal practice this Thursday (12th) at 2pm.
All ringing is now resumed.
Chale Drops a Clanger – No ringing for a couple of weeks.
Word today (Tuesday, 26th September) reaches my ears that the 6 at Chale has a broken clapper so will not be ringable for at least two weeks whilst a repair/replacement is sought.
As a consequence practice for the next two Thursdays has been cancelled. I will post further news once I get to hear what is going on.
Chale Take the Shield for first time
IoW TREBLE BOB PRACTICE at Chale Sat 12th Nov 5.30pm
Saturday 12 November
TREBLE BOB PRACTICE
for all those that can ‘treble bob’, please come along (Kent. Cambridge etc)
….and if you can ring Bob Minor then why not give it a go?
CHALE 5.30 TO 7pm
CHALE PRACTICE CANCELLED (8th Sept)
6-Bell Report for Isle of Wight Entry in Competition
Rain holds off for the Guild 6 and 8 bell striking contest.
Report from Mark Esbester. The Guild 8 bell striking competition was held this morning at Hawley – possibly the first time it has been outside the Guild’s territory! Only 3 teams had entered, namely Bishopstoke, Catherington and Hursley – where are all the Guild’s other 8-bell (and above) bands? The judge, Vernon Bedford, commented that all 3 teams had rung well, but Hawley bells are difficult to get really consistent, accurate ringing on. Bishopstoke, ringing last were the winners, with 17 faults, Hursley second with 24 and Catherington 3rd with 31.
Report from Greg Jordan. The Guild 6 bell striking competition was also held this morning at Eversley. 5 teams entered, namely Eversley, Eling, Rotherwick & Odiham, Basingstoke St Michaels and Niton & Chale.The judges Julian Hemper and Julian Ferrar gave very fair and positive comments on all the ringing and were particularly pleased when one tower had a tricky section but continued ringing, pushed through and settled down to some good ringing again. The teams and their results are as follows;- Placed 1st St. Michael’s Basingstoke 3.5 faults, placed 2nd Eling 6.5 faults, placed 3rd Niton and Chale 8 faults, placed 4th Rotherwick and Odiham 28.5 faults, placed 5th Eversley 35 faults.
Guild Master Viv Nobbs noted that it was good to see some very local bands entering and thanked those that had travelled quite a way to compete including the band from the Isle of Wight.
Some folk went on to The Northbrook Arms, had a lovely lunch and enjoyed the skittle ally and then went on to ring at Brown Candover and Micheldever who kindly opened their towers for us. And then the rain came…. but it didn’t matter by then because everyone had had a lovely day. A special mention and thanks go to Basingstoke District officers, the towers and the tea, coffee and biscuit servers!
Thanks to David Forder, Mark Esbester,Deb Baker and Martin Barnes for photos.
Chale Practice Cancelled
Please note that the practice this coming Thursday (May 12th) has been cancelled at Chale to allow a burial to take place in the Churchyard. A Passing Bell will be rung during this time.
Practice will be as normal next week at 2pm.
No Practice at Chale in Holy Week (March 24th)
Tower(s): Chale
Our Easter Ringing Schedule Is: No practice Thursday of Holy Weeek
Chale Ringing Times
Sundays: Ringing variable, please phone Tower Secretary
Practice: Thursday 2:00pm
APPEALING RINGING ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT FOR 2015!
Now have the final list of Peals and Quarter Peals rung for 2015 at Island Towers.
1 Peal was rung at each of the following, 6 peals in all for the year: Freshwater (Jan); Carisbrooke (Apr); Newchurch (Aug); Chale (Nov); Whitwell (Nov); and Shorwell (Dec).
63 Quarter Peals were rung in 2015 by 9 of our towers:
Brading 19; Ryde 18; Brighstone 9; Chale 4; Godshill 4; Newchurch 4; Arreton 2; Niton 2; and Carisbrooke 1.
Ryde having massively upped their game from the average 6 Quarter Peals in the last few years.
There have been many more attempts at both and all who took part in any ringing, and all those that recorded ‘firsts’ in any ring, are to be congratulated on keeping ringing alive and to the fore on the Island. Well done all and especially so to the few conductors we have to rely on to help us out!
I should also say this is by only Island ringers, there have been visiting ringers but these are not recorded in our District Records.
Thursday Afternoon Practices at Chale (Isle of Wight) resume 7th Jan
Please note there will be no Thursday afternoon practice at St Andrew, Chale, until January 7th at 2pm.
The Queen Writes to the Ringers at Ryde and Chale, Isle of Wight, Nov 2015
They rang their bells at Ryde and Chale, they told the Queen, she replied!

14 in a day challenge – Simon Edwards reports













Simon Edwards writes:
Last Saturday (31st May) a group of us attempted – and succeeded – in ringing a quarter peal on each of the Isle of Wight’s 14 towers, the first time all 14 have been done in a day. Aside from the madcap challenge, the idea was to raise some money towards the Brading Bells restoration fund, and at last hearing we had over £750 in the pot for this!! If anyone still wishes to donate to this worthwhile cause, please contact Daniel Graham. I have produced a video memoir from a fantastic albeit exhausting day out and hope people enjoy watching. Click here to see details of the quarters
Contact Lyn Atkinson
Telephone: 01983 730582
Address: Lowecliffe Cottage, The Terrace, Chale, Ventnor, PO38 2HL
Email: Use Form