Church bells have long been woven into the fabric of English village life, serving purposes far beyond calling worshippers to prayer. They rang out warnings, celebrated momentous events, and marked solemn moments—like the passing of a villager. One local, Rhoda Brooks, recalled the eerie experience of hearing the funeral toll while walking the fields, only to learn it was for the beloved Rev Eric Gaskell, who died unexpectedly in 1974. Today, the bells still ring out for services and weddings, keeping the tradition alive.
The bell tower’s upper section, featuring louvred windows on all four sides, dates to the 15th century and likely housed the first peal of bells, then rung from ground level. A major transformation came in 1787 when five existing bells were recast into six by William Emmerton of Wootton. Each bell bore a unique inscription, and the new peal was inaugurated by the Ampthill ringers that same summer.
In 1896, after the tenor bell cracked, it was recast by Taylor of Loughborough and inscribed with a biblical warning: “Woe unto me if I preach not the gospel.” That year, the aging wooden frame from 1604 was replaced with a cast iron structure, leaving room for two more bells to complete the octave.
These final two bells were added nearly a century later, in 1986, donated by churchwarden Cecil Winnington-Ingram—one in memory of his brother Charles, who died in Africa, and one for himself. The inscriptions included the first Swahili text on a bell in the tower, a tribute to the hungry in Africa. The new bells, heavier and fuller in tone, contrasted with the lighter 18th-century Emmerton bells. When one of the older bells cracked in 1994, English Heritage insisted it be repaired rather than replaced, preserving a rare, nearly complete Emmerton set.
Accessing the bells today involves climbing a spiral stair past a gargoyle and up into the small ringing chamber, where ropes hang in a colourful cluster from a central “spider.” A warning sign—DANGER, BELLS ARE UP—greets visitors. The chamber also houses the clock mechanism and leads via ladder to the bells and tower roof.
Handbell ringing in St James
St James Church also owns a set of 14 handbells, first acquired in 1903. A glazed 1888 register listing all Bedfordshire church bells hangs on the east wall, along with a carved stone commemorating local ringers. Several peal boards record significant feats, including the first full peal (5040 changes) rung in 1884 and the county’s longest (7560 changes) in 1938.
Bell ringing is a family tradition here: the West family has been involved for over 200 years. James West served as parish clerk for four decades in the 18th century; his descendants William (“Billy”), Reginald, and Ralph continued the legacy well into the 21st century. Billy was even famed for chiming four bells at once—three by hand, one with a foot.
Tower discipline was serious, too—fines were levied for lateness, poor posture, or breaking equipment. Miss Evelyn Steel, a formidable tower captain and a founding member of the Ladies Guild of Ringers, led with precision and poise. She also hunted on horseback, her steed named Sixpence.
Handbell ringing flourished in the mid-19th century and was revived after a postwar lull. In 1991, Anthea Slark and Ralph West formed the modern Biddenham handbell team using a historic set kept in the church tower. Over time, they performed more than 200 times and upgraded to a professional three-octave set, joining national and regional rallies through the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain.
Huge thanks to Katherine Fricker, Mary McKeown and Diana Toyn for the exquisitely written “The Village of Biddenham through the Ages” book and to Mary for granting permission to use fragments in the writing of this section.
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