2025 Contest

Judges: Thomas J Hinks (chief),
Frederick Shallcross, Emma J Southerington

Congratulations to Bristol who have won the 2025 12-bell. This is their first win in the contest. The full results can be found via the Complete Results page.

The final of the 2025 National 12-bell Striking Contest took place at St Mary Redcliffe today. The test piece was a touch of 252 Stedman Cinques.

The timetable for the day was:

1000 – 1100Breakfast baps served in the churchyard
1100Welcome and draw in the church
1130 – 1600Contest ringing
1130
1200
1230
1300
1330
1400
1430
1500
1530
York
Guildford
Exeter
Bristol
St Paul’s
Birmingham
ASCY
Cambridge
SRCY
1130 onwardsBar opens and refreshments served
1600 – 1700Entertainment in the church
1730Results in the church

Further information is available on Redcliffe’s website. Please note that souvenir pint glasses must be pre-ordered via the website and will not be available for sale on the day of the Contest.

The qualifier contests took place on Saturday 22nd March; the complete results are below. Congratulations to: the Ancient Society of College Youths, Birmingham, Cambridge, Exeter, Guildford, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Society of Royal Cumberland Youths and York who join Bristol in the final at St Mary Redcliffe in June.

The test piece for the final will be:

252 Stedman Cinques
2314567890E
25341678E90    1.6-11.13.15 (20)
2314567890E    4.5.7.9.11.13.14.17.19.21

The test piece for the qualifiers was:

255 Stedman Cinques
2314567890E
21364E59780 1.4.s8.10.s12.17.21
2143658709E 1.4.5.s10.11.16.20 (20)

The committee has recently undertaken a survey into how to define good ringing, the results of which are published here.

2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the first National 12-bell Striking Contest which was also held at St Mary Redcliffe on 31st May 1975. Five teams competed for the Emlyn Hancock Trophy.