We have rung the bells every week before the 9.30am Sunday Eucharist to welcome people to our church. We practice every Friday evening. At joyous times we ring in celebration, but on more solemn occasions (such as Remembrance Sunday) we half- muffle the bells to create a more sombre and reverent sound, following tradition.

Regular extra ringing includes weddings, many Christmas services. Remembrance Sunday, and December 31st at midnight to welcome in the New Year; (the trick is to coincide the ‘dongs’ with Big Ben on the radio – before opening the bubbly!)

How many of these can you remember?

• The many services of Ordination or First Eucharist

• The Novocentenary of St. Lawrence’s Ancient Church: 1995

• Saying ‘good- bye’ to Rev. Colin Boswell: 1995

• The Royal Golden Wedding: 1997

• The visit of Bishop Roy when he left St. Mary’s to begin his Parish Walk to Reigate: 1997

• The death of Princess Diana: 1997

• The Centenary of Queen’s Park: 1998

• Father Michael’s 25th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood: 1999

• The Millennium Ring when all the bells in the country rang simultaneously at noon on January 1st: 2000

• The Queen Mother’s 100th birthday: 2000

• The Golden Jubilee Year: 2002

• The death of the Queen Mother: 2002

• Southwark Diocese 100 years celebrations, when bells all over the diocese rang together: July 2005

• Bells from St. Mary’s and St. John’s both rang a quarter peal to celebrate Caterham Cars becoming a F1 racing team: 2012

Frances Clementi – Tower Captain