Ensemble Information

Who are they?

Since 2006, Ringers from all over the South West Region have meet just 6 times each year to practise pieces to perform at the Regional Rally and Christmas Prelude (or whatever it is called that year!)

Where do they meet? 

In Staplegrove Village Hall (just outside Taunton) as Taunton has always been identified as the centre of the region with respect to travel times.

What do they ring?

Big Pieces! Not the usual music most SW handbell teams could ring. The aim is to stretch the ringers and help to improve musicality and ringing techniques.

How many bells?

No Idea! There are the 4½ octaves of Shea Bells, 4 of Bampton bells, 4 octaves of Freeman Bells and 3 octaves of Schulmerich bells. We also use 3 octaves of Schulmerich chimes. So I suppose about 200 give-or-take the odd extra thrown in to augment some sets.

What have been the best performances yet?

Bodmin in 2011: Fantastic! Firefest Polka was amazing and received a huge round of applause. The Holly and the Ivy went better than last year – when so many ringers got snowed in and flu’d off – and Fantasy on Kingsfold was mysterious and dramatic. Thanks to Robyn Spooner (10) for playing the anvil part in Firefest Polka (which involved hitting seven shades out of a bracket from a marquee with a wooden spoon) and to Mum, Tamsyn (totally mad) Spooner for driving down to Bodmin from Wareham in Dorset less than 48 hours after giving birth to baby Gethin!

Creech St Michael 2014: The ensemble played Ding Dong! Merrily on High, Were You There on That Christmas Night? and Fantasia on Forest Green. Ding Dong and Were You There went really well and Forest Green was mostly good with the ensemble finishing within 4 beats of each other... just not necessarily in the same place.

In 2019 the Sou'westers gave a full concert at the McMillan Theatre in Bridgwater to a packed audience.

What does it cost?

There is an annual membership of £25 (£5 for junior ringers) paid in January which goes toward hire of the hall and the music costs. The Region buys the music and loans it to the ringers.

How do I join? 

Well... space is limited so please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as soon as possible and we can get some music out to you to mark up (if you need to). You will only have 3 rehearsals before the Regional Rally.

Am I good enough? 

HRGB has never come up with a grading system for handbell ringers so that’s a tricky question. You certainly need to be a reasonably good music reader (you can mark up your own pieces in advance) and you need to be able to ring two bells plus their accidentals. You may have to change bells quickly and, if you are a treble ringer, recognise when you need to ring octaves above yours (called Shelleying) by picking up your home bell AND the octave above and ringing them together. Please talk to us if you are unsure.

Is there any homework involved?

Yes! Absolutely! Indeed! Definitely! Ensemble ringers are expected to study their music between sessions and practise the motions of ringing (salt and pepper shakers work quite well but can be a bit messy!) Ringers can make a single copy of their music to mark up. When a piece is finished with, the copy must be destroyed.

What happens if I don’t practise my music?

Nobody’s found out yet… (But it won’t be pretty – Ed)