Oxford University Society Change Ringers

Oxford University Society Change Ringers

The Oxford University Society Change Ringers are the official student society dedicated to ringing bells in Oxford – we ring regularly in Oxford and have lots going on from ringing for services, practices to social events and many other distractions! Have a look at the termcard for details!

Welcome to all new people at Oxford and Oxford Brookes Universities starting this October – congratulations on getting your place!

Whether you can ring or have absolutely no idea what this bell ringing is the Oxford University Society Change Ringers is the society for you – all welcome – read on for more details. Come and see us at the Freshers’ Fair in Exam Schools. Why not also to say hello, we would love to hear from you.

If you can ring…

There is loads of ringing to keep you occupied in Oxford. You are very welcome at any of the ringing.

Practices are every Tuesday at 19:45 at Mary Mag (a lovely 7cwt 10) and alternate Mondays at 19:30 at St Thos (a fantastic 11cwt 10).

There is also Sunday ringing at Mary Mag at 10am and every other week at St Ebbes at 11:15.

We ring everything from rounds and call changes, to spliced surprise major and surprise royal. Aside from the ringing, we go to the pub after every practice, ring a few handbells, have outings during term, ring weekly quarters and peals, have end of term cheese and wine parties, a fancy annual dinner, and a few days away on a tour at Easter.

If you can’t ring…

ringingDon’t worry, we can teach you to ring – it is fantastic fun. You don’t have to be sporty, or musical, or religious, or good at maths etc – just as you are is great. We have Learner Practices every Wednesday evening at Mary Mag at 6.30pm. If you don’t like it, we won’t be (too) devastated if you don’t want to come back.

Apart from ringing, we also have lots of other fun things going on which of course you are welcome to come to! We go to the pub after practice, have termly parties, an annual dinner plus lots of other stuff.

Ringing in Oxford

Oxford is one of the best places to ring, as there are 13 towers within half a mile of Carfax Tower (traditionally the central point in Oxford). These towers are looked after by various sets of people:

The OUS (Oxford University Society – us!) The OUS ring on Sundays at St Thos, Mary Mag and St Ebbes every Sunday morning and then also at New College and SMV a few Sunday evenings during term. Practices are at Mary Mag and St Thos.

The OS (Oxford Society) The Oxford Society are a group of ringers based at Christ Church. They look after the rings of bells in the colleges and University and cover the OUS churches out of term time. Practices are at Lincoln college.

The ODG (Oxford Diocesan Guild) The City Branch of the ODG look after the remaining towers mainly within the ringroad. The ODG is a large territorial ringing association like the others that cover the UK. Click on the links above for infomation about who rings at which towers, when they ring and how to get there! With so many bells to ring, there is inevitably an overlap between the three societies, but we all help each other out!