Pania Makes a Daring Climb up the Belfry

Monday July 26th

Today was another travelling day so they packed me up and set out for Walsall. Now the reason for going to Walsall was to visit John and Diane who had been on teacher exchange to NZ last year in Taranaki. They had visited Mary and Alan twice during the year and invited them back to stay with them. It was a lovely straightforward run along a busy motorway but easier than all those narrow one way lanes with dry stone walls to avoid.
They made good time and arrived in time for lunch and to meet the four French students that daughter Jenny was tutoring English to for two weeks.

After lunch, Mary tucked me in her pocket and John took them out walking locally. The first stop was at his local church where he is the bell tower captain. He had the most amazing set of keys to open the huge church door and then the door to the bell tower. They climbed the narrow stone spiral staircase up to level where the bell ropes are pulled by the ringers. John brought the ropes down and undid two of them so he could ring some bells. He let Alan have a go at ringing one as well. He then rang the biggest bell and this one lifted his feet off the ground. It was amazing to see him swinging on the rope. He had to be careful otherwise it would have taken him up so far he would have hit his head on the roof. The room was full of interesting plaques of bell ringing sessions that went on for 6 hours and recorded the number of peals and changes in the session.

They then climbed up another level to where the works of the tower clock are housed. It had originally been installed by the gas company in the 1800’s so that the gas men would know when to light the gas lamps. Up till ten years ago the gas company sent men up the tower once a week to wind the clock but it is now all automated.

Then it was up another level and the stone staircase seemed to be getting even narrower. I was in Mary’s jacket pocket but I was rubbing against the sides of the walls all the way up. John reminded them that there was no ACC in England. This was the level the bells were on and you could see them there in all different sizes and the wheels and pulleys. Then it was up another wooden ladder and we were looking down on the bells.

The final climb was the scariest. It was up a very narrow iron spiral staircase that they could just fit inside. I was too bulky in Mary’s pocket she had to hold me carefully to be able to get up the narrow stairs. There was a little door at the top that led outside to the top of the tower where there was just enough room to walk sideways and take in the view. You could see as far as Birmingham and all around the surrounding district.

Having made it to the top it was now time to come down and care was needed, but by taking it slowly we all made it down safely. John sprinted down without even holding the rope, and also told them how he climbed all around the bells to do the maintenance.

We then wandered into the town to the Art Gallery which was extensive and interesting. John filled in as much as could of the history of Walsall on the walk there and back.
Back home we met the tow Spanish students that were staying with the family for 3 weeks while they did a language course at the local university. It was a truly international household with the kiwis thrown in as well.