Mufflers

Most of the bell muffles in this cardboard box were used to soften the sound of the parish church bells ringing out to commemorate the life and mourn the death of HM The Queen. The muffles were placed either side of the clapper ball to reduce the strike note to a hum.On the Tuesday practise night before Remembrance Sunday the ringers will tie them to one side of the bells to enable them to ring half muffled in memory of those who died in wars and conflicts over the last 120 years. Before ringing on a weekly Sunday, a prayer is said appropriate to the changing festivals. On Remembrance Sunday ringers will pray: “May we ring these bells to honour those who have died in the service of their country and comfort those who mourn them. Through Jesus Christ, Amen.” As the last of the congregation moves into church, the bells begin their annual salute to the dead by ringing in descending rounds. Each bell in turn rings up and rests, eventually leaving the heaviest bell to toll alone for a short while.Later, the muffles will be cut off and the memories and mourning put back in a cupboard for another year - coincidentally in an old Royal British Legion poppy box.

By Mike Warpole