GASS   

        The Gentlemen's Ale Sampling Society

        1982-2017  35 YEARS OF BEERS

APRIL MEETING

The Dirty Habit Pub and Hollingbourne Church

CAMPANOLOGY
Campanology (from Late Latin campana, "bell"; and Greek -λογία, -logia) is the study of bells.
It encompasses the technology of bells — how they are cast, tuned and sounded — as well as the history, methods, and traditions of bell-ringing as an art.

We gathered in the garden of The Dirty Habit at Hollingbourne, dressed for action........

Most of us - some were too slow getting out of the bar!

We then proceed to walk normally down the road to the Church, 22 Monks carrying flaming torches, as you do prior to bell ringing.

(well at least that is what WE do, maybe not everyone dresses as Monks, noR puts the fear of God into the villageRs by striding down the middle of the road with flames everywhere)

Finally we made it to the church and up into the belfry, and as you can see we lined up for Nigel and his team to explain the finer points of ringing out a peel or two.

Monks actually bell ringing down below while up above another group of monks were being sent deaf.

Up in the Bell Tower itself

Our Medieval dinner.

In our case it means meeting at THE DIRTY HABIT pub in upper Hollingbourne
(a Maidstone meeting under the "Spread the Meetings Fairly Initiative").

Try and be there by 7.00 to change into your Monks Costume that will be awaiting you ,

first there gets the pick of the costumes.

At 7.30 we make our way to Hollingbourne Church where under the stern eye of Nigel Baker

(Bell ringer in Chief) we will ring out a peal.

We have been trying to arrange this for years - why I hear you ask -

because none of you have done it before, duuhh!

Yes, we have rung hand bells, but never the great big 4' tall, 1.5 ton monsters like these,

where we dangle helplessly on the end of long ropes.

Once we have pealed, we will dine in Medieval style in 'The Monks Corner' (yes, really) in The Dirty Habit.

We will also be welcoming Owen Brunning, our newest member, to the Society.

Owen has been introduced by Gary and seconded by Ian, and takes us back to a full complement of 22 members.

Guests welcome - £40 - but you MUST let me know and they MUST bring their own Monks Costume.