CDGCBR
Chester Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers
Chester Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers
This website focuses on the activities in South Cheshire branch. If you are interested in the details for another branch, or want the details for the guild as a whole, please click one of the buttons below.
Welcome to the South Cheshire Branch of the Chester Diocesan Guild. The South Cheshire Branch of the Chester Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers (CDGCBR) comprises 22 towers. The branch encompasses an area as far north as Goostrey, as far South as Audlem, as far east as Easton (Congleton), and as far west as Marbury.
This website has been created to keep members informed of forthcoming activities and to give visiting or would-be ringers details of all the towers in the Branch. The intention is to show just the basic information in a simple and easy to access manner. If you find this website useful, please tell others about it. If you would like to suggest corrections or improvements, please contact the webmaster.
Please narrow the scope of coverage to South Branch.
For another view, please refer to the Programme page.
Obituary: Zoe Sutton, St Mary's, Acton
We are sad to announce the death of Zoe Sutton of St Mary's, Acton. Zoe was a ringer at Acton for over 40 years. Her main priority during her ringing years was to make sure that the bells at Acton were rung for Sunday services and for other notable events. She managed to achieve this ambition and was a regular ringer at Acton until she was 90. Her husband, Fred, was also a ringer at Acton and rang many peals with others fro m the South Cheshire Branch until his death in 1990. Members of the Sutton family have rung the bells at Acton St Mary's for over a hundred years. Her daughter, Carole Sturgess, is a current member of the Acton band and intends to carry on the Sutton ringing tradition into the future.
Every month, young ringers from across Cheshire and North Staffs meet to ring together. We meet on the third Sunday of the month and visit different towers across the region.
In 2025, we rang as far south as Stafford and Haughton, and as far north-west as Neston in the Wirral. We rang in between, including at Nantwich, Madeley, Waverton and Stoke Minster. We enjoyed ringing on the little bells at Woodlands, on the anticlockwise ring at Seighford, and on twelve at Stafford, Newcastle and Chester Cathedral. We also entered a team into the RWNYC 2025.
We welcome all bell ringers aged under-30, under-18 and under-11. Whether you can conduct spliced, or just about handle a bell, or any standard in between, you will be most welcome.
Please see the NSACR website (https://nsacr.org.uk) for the most up-to-date information, and to find out where we’re ringing this month. If you are under-18 and coming for the first time, you will need to bring a consent form filled out by your parent/guardian for safeguarding. You can find that consent form here.
Towers have been confirmed for the next monthly youth practice:
Sunday 20th September 2026
1:30-2:30pm handbells at Stoke Minster (downstairs)
2:30-4:30pm tower bells (including practice on 10) at Stoke Minster
5-7pm ringing at Woodlands (tbc)
6pm quarter peal attempt(s)
Ringing teachers, tower captains and parents can contact ag-youngringers1@nsacr.org.uk with any questions.
We look forward to ringing with you!