This page contains an overview of important bits of information you will need as part of your visit to All Saints. Please read through all the information provided.
Visiting bands will receive a copy of our visitor information booklet as an attachment to the confirmation email we will send informing you that your visit is able to go ahead. This contains additional information you may find useful in relation to your visit to Swanton Morley.
Visiting ringers attending a one of the Swanton Morley Bell Ringers' led ringing will be given relevant information via email.
All Saints Church is fitted with interlinked smoke alarms, which will sound if smoke is detected. In the event of the alarms sounding during your visit vacate the tower and church immediately.
Exit the tower via the staircase, then exit the nave from the south door and the through the porch. The assembly point is the field to the south of the bowling green. Please make sure all you party is accounted for.
In the event of a power cut, there is emergency lighting in the ringing chamber and the stair case.
For safety reasons access to the nave and tower roof as well as the bell chamber is restricted. In the event of you requiring access to the bell chamber please speak to the key holder.
We do ask that the group leader has a mobile phone on them at all times in case of emergency.
For safeguarding reasons we do ask that all persons under the age of 18 are accompanied by an adult at all times in the tower and that your group has a nominated person who has had the correct checks in place.
A first aid kit is available in the tower.
A detailed copy of our Emergency Procedures and Tower Safety Rules are displayed in the Ringing Chamber.
You will be met by a key holder who will let you into the church and make sure the tower door is unlocked.
Sometimes the person meeting you may not be a ringer and in some cases may not be able to go up the tower with you, however they will have a copy of the Ringing at Swanton Morley booklet which will outline everything you need to know.
Access to all levels is via a narrow spiral staircase. There are 45 steps to the ringing chamber and the climb is difficult, especially the final three steps.
At the request of the church wardens, anyone wishing to climb to the ringing chamber are asked to observe the following safety precautions:
The Swanton Morley Bell Ringers and All Saints' PCC believe it is responsibility of everyone who participates in the life of our tower to take safeguarding seriously to ensure the safety, welfare and well-being of children, young people and adults.
It is the responsibility of all visiting groups to ensure that those leading/supervising a group have had all the relevant checks and it is not the responsibility of the All Saints Swanton Morley Bell Ringers or PCC unless they are providing the leader/supervisor for a visiting group. The parish and bell ringers reserve the right to ask for assurance that the group has the appropriate checks and permissions in place.
Ringers attending a Swanton Morley Bell Ringers led session will be asked to complete a ringer declaration related to safeguarding. For visiting bands, the visit organiser will complete a whole group declaration.
For safeguarding reasons we do ask that all persons under the age of 18 are accompanied by an adult at all times in the tower and that your group has a nominated person who has had the correct checks in place.
The are disable accessible toilets available at the rear of the church.
The ringing chamber is very spacious. There are plenty of chairs and window seats to sit whilst ringing is taking place. There is also ample room for people to stand in the tower.
We do ask that you do not sit in the window area in which the TV is situated.
There are plenty of boxes available for ringers to use, which are stored under the chairs around the outside of the ringing chamber. We do ask that if you put a knot in the rope please remove it before you ring down. Similarly if you do adjust the length of a rope, please return it to the length you found it.
If it is a warm day, please feel free to open one of the access doors to the roof as well as to the bell chamber stair case. Please do not lean out of the either of the access doors as there are sensors to protect the lead on the roof and leaning out of the access doors will active the alarm.
Sometimes the “squeak” from the ropes can result in it difficult in hearing the bells. If this is the case open the bell chamber staircase door. Access beyond this point is restricted.
The table below gives an overview of the conditions of the bells currently as well as anything you need to be aware of.
Sometimes the “squeak” from the ropes can result in it difficult in hearing the bells. If this is the case open the bell chamber staircase door. Access beyond this point is restricted.
The table below gives an overview of the conditions of the bells currently as well as anything you need to be aware of.
There is plenty of parking on the field to the south of the church. This is shared with the bowls club next to the church as well as walkers following the Wensum Valley signed walked.
Please try not to park in front of the entrance as it is narrow. Please take care as the ground Is uneven.
If you are a large party please let us know and we shall open the field up next to the church. Please take care when entering and leaving the car park as visibility is restricted due to the bend in the road.
Swanton Morley is just over 3 miles away from Dereham and about 18 miles away from Norwich. The village is well sign posted off the A47 as well as off the Fakenham to Norwich Road (A1067). The church is located on Town Street (B1147) at the end of the village heading towards Bawdswell on the B1147, just past the village sign, opposite Rectory Road and the sign post for Robertson Barracks.
Postcode: NR20 4PB
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