Graduation article

Today there was thick grey cloud all day and it was quite chilly in town. There were six of us all day, and we did some reasonable ringing, though everyone was getting tired at the end of a long week with many hours of ringing!

After the morning ceremony we rang a quarter peal of 1260 Grandsire Doubles:


1. Barbara Hicks
2. Helen C. Smith
3. Peter Jupp
4. Peter Williamson
5. Simon M Chadwick (c)
6. Rachel C. Davies

For all graduating today in the University of St Andrews


above: the Quarter peal band.

During the afternoon ceremony we retired to Mitchells for a much needed lunch

We ring on Sunday morning between 10.15 and 11am for the chapel service, and then that's pretty much it for most of the summer.

The sun was hotter today than any other day so far. We had two visitors, Godfrey and Lesley, regular ringers at Dunkeld, which gave us more scope for ringing than previous days.


After the morning graduation ceremony, we rang a quarter peal of doubles (Stedman, Grandsire and plain bob)
1. Peter Jupp
2. Helen Smith
3. C. Lesley Hall
4. Simon M. Chadwick
5. Peter Williamson (c)
6. Godfrey S. Hall
For all graduating from the University of St Andrews this week. 50th quarter on the bells.


The quarter peal band


Relaxing in St Mary's quad in between ringing sessions in the afternoon

Wednesday started cool and grey but the sun burned off the haar and we had a great day of ringing. There were only five of us but we tried a 240 of Grandsire, and a touch of St Simon's. For the procession after each ceremony we have been ringing an interesting piece of early 17th century single changes, from Duckworth's Tinntinnalogia (1668) p.16. This composition seems to go well with the solemn but celebratory atmosphere as the University officers process along North Street and in through the archway under the tower, led by the mace-bearers carrying the University's 15th-century silver-gilt ceremonial maces.


The tower in the sunshine with the University banner flying and graduates milling beneath


Graduates after the ceremony in the Quad, listening to the ringing/

It was not as sunny and warm as we had hoped. We had only 5 ringers for most of the sessions, but the ringing was quite good a lot of the time. The sun drew all the graduates out onto the grass in the Quad after each ceremony so there was a lot of people listening to the bells!


Watching the ceremony live feed, waiting to start ringing as the procession leaves the Younger Hall



Refreshments in Nardini's Ice-cream parlour before returning to the tower for the final session.

We start again bright and early at 9am tomorrow!

The weather looks really nice for graduation week!

We will be ringing each day before and after all the ceremonies:

Tue 26th, Wed 27th, Thur 28th, Fri 29th June 2018

9.00am - 9.30am

10.00am - 10.30am

approx. 12.00pm - 12.30pm (we begin when the ceremony finishes)

1.30pm - 2.00pm

approx. 3.30pm - 4.00pm (we begin when the ceremony finishes)

Also on Sunday 1st July we will ring from 10.15 until 11am

If you are in town, listen out for the sound of the bells from St Salvator's chapel on North Street.

If you are a ringer, please do come up and help us out! If the tower is locked (which it often is), you can call the ringing chamber on 01334 46 22 22, extension 14133 or you can call Simon on 07792 336804 to be let in.