A COUPLE from Chagford have together notched up 100 years of service in the art of bell ringing. Julia and Evan Endacott both started bell ringing in their teens — and have no intention of giving it up now. Evan, 66, learned the technique 53 years ago when he lived at Guildford and Julia, 65, learned when she was 18 years old in Chagford with her father, the captain of the bell ringers. Julia, affectionately known as 'aunty', said: 'My father was captain at Chagford and before I went to Plymouth to do my radiography training, he said "Well you better learn bell ringing before you go". 'I took over from my father in 1977 as captain.' As captain Julia has to train new ringers in the art form — something she is incredibly passionate about, even 47 years later. Currently there are 15 people on the team at Chagford, ranging from 13 to 70-years old. She said: 'It's all about commitment. 'We ring on Sundays for the service at 9am and we practise every week on a Tuesday night. 'Initially you have got to learn the control of the rope as it can be dangerous when standing with others — an important thing to have with bell ringing is a sense of rhythm. 'I hope to be ringing in Chagford for years and years to come.'
