Although I never became a bell ringer – (campanologist!) – church bells have held a fascination for me since my early school days and I have had the privilege of being allowed to visit most of the church towers in this local area over the past couple of decades.

I remember that getting up to the single bell in St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church back in 2014 was the most hazardous!

Around 10.30am on Thursday 23rd January the villagers of Bisham, at least those who were at home, might have heard a rare sound, the three bells of All Saints Church sounding together.

These days only one, and very occasionally three at weddings, are just chimed and not rung. I suspect this is due to lack of volunteers to pull the ropes, but it might also be concern for the well-being of the 12th Century Norman tower and the possible effects of the combined weight of fifteen hundredweight of swinging bells.

After advice given some years ago to chime only, repair work was carried out but not checked, so to play safe the bells are not rung at present.

I was to blame for the triple sounding, but I just struck the bells without swinging them or pulling on the ropes.

I had been allowed to visit the church tower courtesy of my neighbour and Chairman of the Bisham Church Friends, Robert Frost, and also the Churchwarden Rod Stevens. The climb is another tricky one: up a narrow and very steep wooden staircase into the ringing room, and then, by means of a long ladder, up through a trapdoor, passing some awkward beams, to reach the bells themselves.

I had made the same ascent some years ago (slightly more agile then!) but only black and white photos resulted, and I wanted some colour ones. Nothing had changed in the draughty bell room. In fact, in view of the cobwebs, I wondered how many others had visited since my last trip.

The three fine bells, the tenor almost thirty six inches in height, date from 1840, cast by Thomas Mears of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, and refitted in 1955 by that same famous Company. I recorded their sound on a tiny Tascam digital unit.

Back down at ground level I took the opportunity to picture the recently installed memorial tablet to the late Patricia Burstall whose life revolved around the church and its history. In fact, this little church, especially with its spectacular memorials to Bisham Abbey’s Hoby family, must surely be one of the most fascinating in this country.

If you are interested in learning more, the Bisham Church Friends have a web-site: www.bishamchurchfriends.org

Next week’s column will be a fishy story!

Contact Michael on michael@jazzfans.co or 01628 486571