July Country Meeting 2025

Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales

The 2025 Country meeting was held in South East Wales, centred around the market town of Abergavenny. When packing to visit this area, waterproofs, umbrellas and thermals are often the norm, however on this weekend, Abergavenny was the hottest place in the middle of a heatwave. The usual items were replaced with shorts, sandals, various electric fans and sunscreen.

Peals were arranged for the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday morning. Many thanks are due to Pauline Morris, Llandaff and Monmouth DA General Secretary and organisational whirlwind for doing the vast majority of the arrangements for this weekend. The heat took its toll on minds, bodies and even bells – the peal attempt at Pentre was abandoned on Saturday due to the tenor being virtually unringable. However, fourteen peals were scored during the course of the weekend, with “so hot!” being the main comment afterwards.

Thursday and Friday night gatherings took place at the Kings Head and Lamb and Flag pubs, with the usual fare of beer and pub grub. On the Saturday, a mini-tour visited the ground floor eights at Mynyddislwyn and Bedwellty, with Russell Brown and Matthew Durham organising the ringing fare. The final tower was Abergavenny, where the Master organised the ringing on the fabulous ten bells.

The business meeting followed tea and cake at the Abergavenny Community Centre. The cakes were made by various ringers from the local area, and included Welsh Cakes and Bara Brith, ubiquitous at any Welsh ringers’ tea. At the meeting, we remembered five members that had been lost since the previous meeting, and welcomed seven new members: Stephen Bean, Donny Brock, Rob Bruce, Joel Cairns, Grace Dooley, Jack Hanlon, and Christopher Rudd. The community centre staff moved us all outside for the rest of the evening, and provided a hearty meal of lasagne, focaccia and salad, followed by pavlova or cheesecake, liquid refreshments in the form of a pop-up bar set up by a local pub. The evening closed with a quiz, hosted by a “muppet with a mic”; I don’t think there were too many disagreements about answers.

Thank you to Helen Phillips, for inviting everyone to South Wales, to Pauline Morris for her amazing organisational skills and attention to detail, and to everyone who travelled to join in and make the weekend a success.

Georgina Barratt

View photos from this event in our gallery.

Peals rung on Bellboard

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14 peals so far have been rung for the Society July Country meeting.

Usk, Monmouthshire
29 New Market Street
Sunday, 13 July 2025 in 2hrs 38mins (15 in C)
5040 Yorkshire Surprise Royal
Composed by C L Heaton

  1. 1–2Helen Phillips
  2. 3–4Richard J Clements
  3. 5–6Jack E Page (C)
  4. 7–8Daniel J Page
  5. 9–10Philip J Huxley

Bassaleg, Newport
St Basil
Saturday, 12 July 2025 in 3hrs 5mins (14-1-17 in F)
5088 Yorkshire Surprise Major
Composed by Roger Baldwin

  1. Mary E Dunbavin
  2. Edith Robinson
  3. Alistair M Donaldson
  4. Thomas W Green
  5. Philip D Bailey
  6. Anthony P Cotton
  7. Samuel C Cave (C)
  8. Catherine N Merlane

100th peal for the Society: 1

Brecon, Powys
Cathedral Church of St John the Evangelist
Saturday, 12 July 2025 in 3hrs 8mins (16-2-14 in E)
5040 Cambridge Surprise Royal
Composed by Paul M Mason

  1. Anne L Rueff
  2. Penelope J V Sharpe
  3. Beryl R Norris
  4. Elizabeth A Hibbert
  5. Matthew L Dancy
  6. Miles F E Baker
  7. Daniel J Page (C)
  8. Catherine E Morley
  9. Joseph E T Waters
  10. Andrew J Cairns

Caerleon, Newport
St Cadoc
Saturday, 12 July 2025 in 2hrs 50mins (8-1-21 in Bb)
5120 Uxbridge Surprise Major
Composed by A J Cox

  1. Shirley E McGill
  2. Andrew J Rodliffe
  3. Louisa A Holt
  4. Helen Phillips
  5. Alison McCormack
  6. Andrew W Gordon
  7. Anthony J Cox (C)
  8. Rebecca J Cox

Rung for SRCY country meeting

Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan
Holy Cross
Saturday, 12 July 2025 in 3hrs 4mins (15-3-13 in E)
5088 London Surprise Major
Composed by S J Ivin (No 12)

  1. Graham A Duke
  2. Paul F Curtis
  3. Ruth Curtis
  4. Paul M Mason
  5. Mary E Holden
  6. Alan Regin
  7. Ian Roulstone (C)
  8. Claire F Roulstone

Rung as part of the Country Meeting

Glasbury on Wye, Powys
St Peter
Friday, 11 July 2025 in 2hrs 53mins (11-2-23 in F)
5088 Yorkshire Surprise Major
Composed by Donald F Morrison

  1. Miles F E Baker
  2. Mary E Dunbavin
  3. Elizabeth A Hibbert
  4. Alistair M Donaldson
  5. Philip J Huxley
  6. Ian Roulstone
  7. Andrew W Gordon
  8. Stephen A Rossiter (C)

Llantilio Crossenny, Monmouthshire
St Teilo
Friday, 11 July 2025 in 2hrs 39mins (4-2-4 in D)
5056 Cambridge Surprise Major
Composed by Paul M Mason (No.81)

  1. Michael H D O'Callaghan
  2. Ruth Curtis
  3. Elizabeth A Hibbert
  4. Andrew W Gordon
  5. Janet E Menhinick
  6. Georgina Barratt
  7. Paul M Mason (C)
  8. Paul F Curtis

Rung on Society Country Meeting Weekend.

Mynyddislwyn, Caerphilly
St Tudor
Friday, 11 July 2025 in 2hrs 53mins (12-1-4 in F#)
5152 Gateshead Delight Major
Composed by D G Hull

  1. Philippa M Whittington
  2. Shirley E McGill
  3. David C Bath
  4. Catherine E Morley
  5. Frank W Rivett
  6. Claire F Roulstone
  7. Alan Regin
  8. Ian Roulstone (C)

Rung as part of the Country Meeting weekend.

Newport, Newport
Cathedral Church of St Woolos
Friday, 11 July 2025 in 3hrs 14mins (21-2-20 in D)
5049 Spliced Cinques and Maximus (4m/p)
Composed by M R Eccleston
4 methods: 2505 Stedman Cinques; 864 Bristol Surprise Maximus, Orion Surprise Maximus; 816 Zanussi Surprise Maximus; 37 com.

  1. Ruth Curtis
  2. Shirley E McGill
  3. Thomas B Mack
  4. Matthew C Frost
  5. Jack E Page (C)
  6. David C Bath
  7. Catherine N Merlane
  8. Catherine E Morley
  9. Alan Regin
  10. Michael R Crockett
  11. Nicholas D Brown
  12. Daniel J Page

Usk, Monmouthshire
St Mary
Friday, 11 July 2025 in 2hrs 44mins (14-1-7 in F#)
5024 Bristol Surprise Major
Composed by Alan G Reading (Op. 19)

  1. Andrew P Brewster
  2. Felicity S Warwick
  3. Christina D A Brewster
  4. Philip J Huxley
  5. Catherine N Merlane
  6. Daniel J Page (C)
  7. Jack E Page
  8. David A Warwick

Abergavenny, Monmouthshire
St Mary
Thursday, 10 July 2025 in 3hrs 24mins (25-0-18 in D)
5040 Triton Delight Royal
Composed by S. C. Cave

  1. Ruth Curtis
  2. Rebecca J Cox
  3. Paul F Curtis
  4. Helen Phillips
  5. Anthony J Cox
  6. Catherine E Morley
  7. Samuel C Cave (C)
  8. Paul M Mason
  9. Ruth E R Corney
  10. Alan Regin

For SRCY Country Meeting 2025

Almondsbury, Gloucestershire
St Mary the Virgin
Thursday, 10 July 2025 in 3hrs 9mins (20-2-13 in D)
5056 Coniston Bluebird Delight Major
Composed by Richard I Allton

  1. Matthew J L Durham (C)
  2. Michael A Varney
  3. Jack E Page
  4. G Jessica Durham
  5. Andrew J Cairns
  6. Frank W Rivett
  7. Daniel J Page
  8. Alan Regin

Ross on Wye, Herefordshire
St Mary the Virgin
Thursday, 10 July 2025 in 3hrs 22mins (20-1-4 in Eb)
5120 Cornwall Surprise Major
Composed by Roderick Horton

  1. Rosemary J Duke
  2. Sally A Brown
  3. Graham A Duke
  4. Felicity S Warwick
  5. Alistair M Donaldson
  6. Georgina Barratt
  7. David A Warwick (C)
  8. Michael Angrave

Rung during SRCY Country Meeting.

Worcester, Worcestershire
St Martin in the Cornmarket
Wednesday, 9 July 2025 in 2hrs 47mins (6-2-17 in B)
5040 Faversham Surprise Royal
Composed by Mark B Davies

  1. Ian Butters
  2. C Luke Heaton
  3. Roy A Meads
  4. Ruth Curtis
  5. Frances E Haynes
  6. Michael A Varney
  7. Alan Regin
  8. Anthony P Cotton (C)
  9. Ian Roulstone
  10. Claire F Roulstone