The Lilliputters Guild Summer Tour 2022 – Day 1

00:00 - Peterston-super-Ely
03:13 - Pendoylan

After a two-year absence, the eagerly-anticipated Lilliputters Guild Summer Tour was able to resume in 2022. Our base for the week was the fantastic Miskin Mill Scout Village in Pontyclun, near Llantrisant, although somewhat ironically, as our closest tower, we were unable to ring there.

After congregating on-site, and enjoying Captain Michael's offering of bangers and mustard mash, the Tour started in time-honoured fashion - the Monday evening visit to two local towers, both sixes this year:

The bells to kick our week off were the sweet six of Peterston-super-Ely, with Grandsire Doubles and the lower featuring here. A complete Taylor ring of 1891, the bells were rehung on new fittings in the existing frame in the 1980s. They handle smoothly and sound very sweet, although the 2nd and 3rd fall perilously close to the door step! The stone arched ringing room is impressive, but does little for the acoustics; they were much improved with the door open. We liked the variation in sally colours as well.
https://dove.cccbr.org.uk/detail.php?...


Sadly, our second tower, Pendoylan, were somewhat of a comeback down to earth. A complete six, cast by Charles Carr of Smethwick and hung in a new frame in 1892-3, they felt like they had not been rung for quite some time, other than an outing a couple of months before our visit. Those with a musical ear may also cringe at the tuning - not helped by the bells being excruciatingly loud when the trap door to the belfry was open! The "go" of the bells was, at best, rough, and there were some rather alarming noises heard from upstairs, from the 2nd and 4th especially, so the decision was made to curtail the ringing slightly earlier than planned. We did manage a course of Cambridge Minor before calling it a day, some of which features here alongside the lower.
https://dove.cccbr.org.uk/detail.php?...

Arriving back at Miskin Mill, our evening concluded with the traditional card games, socialising - three years since the last Tour gave us a lot of catching up to do! - and a pudding competition. But were we too stuffed (with cake, at least) to ring on Day 2? Or did the sugar rush see us through? You will find out soon!... :-)