Free have-a-go open rehearsals for children, teenagers and adults to come and make music with handbells with Dunblane Cathedral Handbell Ringers on Sunday 14 January

Fun group music-making for ages 8-12. Learn to read music & develop performance skills in award-winning group, which has made many TV appearances, inspiring hundreds of children to make music with handbells over the past 40+ years! Use this link for details & to sign-up for free first have-a-go session on Sunday 14 January 5.30pm-6pm tinyurl.com/Handbells8-1

Teenagers are welcome in non-auditioned intergenerational handbell group. If you're working towards a Duke of Edinburgh Award, or a badge in Scouts, Guides, Boys Brigade or Girls Brigade, then ask about being part of our group to meet the requirements for what you wish to achieve. Use this link for details & to sign-up for free first have-a-go session on Sunday 14 January 6.30pm-7.15pm: tinyurl.com/TeenHandbells

Adults of all ages and musical skill levels are welcome. It's fun making music with others, the basic technique is easy to pick up yet ringing can also provide satisfying challenge for experienced musicians. Use this link for details & to sign-up for free first have-a-go session on Sunday 14 January 6.30pm-7.15pm: tinyurl.com/AdultHandbells

Historic Environment Scotland commences conservation measures at Dunblane Cathedral

Families urged to come forward to help identify gravestones.

Works have commenced on the stabilisation, repair and re-erection of gravestones at the main entrance to Dunblane Cathedral.

The work, which is being undertaken by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) staff with specialist training in gravestone and monument inspection, will see repairs undertaken to improve access to the graves and the wider cathedral grounds.

The work will continue in 2023 on gravestones around the main entrance, with works progressing to secondary entrances and pathways.

HES has carried out inspections of 595 gravestones at Dunblane Cathedral, with more than 130 to date identified as dangerous and requiring repair. This is as a result of a number of factors, including age and exposure to the elements.

Responsibility for the maintenance of memorials lies primarily with the lair owner or family. To help progress the repair programme, HES is appealing to owners of memorials to come forward.

While some owners have been identified and are arranging repairs, HES is keen to involve the local community further in helping to identify more owners, as well as interpreting and recording the memorials in the graveyard to support the essential work being carried out.

HES is prioritising stabilisation works to memorials posing the greatest risk to the public, and some access restrictions are currently in place for health and safety reasons until repairs are completed. As these works are carried out, HES will continue to review the extent of the fenced areas to see where this can be reduced in order to lessen the impact of the access restrictions, with a rolling programme of phased repairs being undertaken.

Jessica Hunnisett, District Surveyor at HES, said:

“We’re pleased to be able to start work on repairing some of the gravestones within Dunblane Cathedral. We are prioritising memorials which pose the greatest risk and those which affect access to the cathedral.

“We know that the community is very keen for access to be reinstated and owners who are concerned that their memorials may be affected are encouraged to come forward and discuss how we can assist them in progressing repairs.”

Paul Nelson, Dunblane Development Trust, said: “The restored 12th century Cathedral is the centre of historic Dunblane, alongside the 17th century Leighton Library and Museum buildings. It is critical, for the businesses that operate in Dunblane High St, that the Cathedral is accessible and visitors are encouraged to come to the Cathedral and Dunblane. We are, therefore, glad that HES has commenced this work in the grounds of the Cathedral and look forward to the rapid completion of the improvements.”

Ailsa Gray, Chair, Dunblane Community Council, said: “We welcome the fact that work has started and look forward to working with HES in the interpretation and recording of the ancient stones within the graveyard. Such discoveries will underline Dunblane Cathedral’s position as an ancient monument of national importance.”

If your family plot is affected by safety closures, please contact HES at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 01786 823388 to discuss the condition of the memorial and arrange repairs if necessary.

More information about HES’s approach to gravestone and monument inspections and repairs can be found on the HES website.

New Minister at Cathedral

Discussion in Dunblane about Poverty

The restaurant is set within Old Churches House, in the heart of Dunblane. The atmospheric brasserie, with its pitched wooden ceiling, comfy booths & views across Cathedral Square, serves a variety of traditional Scottish & British dishes with delicious burgers, steaks, salads and tapas.

Dunblane Cathedral has handbell ensembles catering for all ages from 8 to adult. The beginning groups develop music reading skills. The groups for advanced handbell musicians perform widely.
 
They have been broadcast on television and radio on many occasions, and travelled the length and breadth of the country to perform on numerous occasions in venues both large and small. They have also performed in Europe, Canada and the USA.
 
They have made commercial recordings and have the distinction of having won the only UK-wide competition open to the thousand groups in Britain in recent times.

Practice sessions are held in the Cathedral Halls on Sundays. Children in P5 - P7 from 6.30 - 7.30pm.   Those of High School age 5.30 - 6.30pm  Beginner adults from 6.30 - 7.30pm.   The adult group for experienced musicians rehearses from 7.30 - 9.15pm.

This organisation provides a team of experienced ringers for the Cathedral tower bells and fosters local interest in the art of change ringing, as well as being a mix of mild exercise, team-work, and mental challenge in learning the "methods". The team meets regularly for practice on  Wednesday evenings from 7.30pm - 9.00pm, and Sunday service ringing from 9.25am - 10.20am, and events outside Dunblane are a regular occurence, mainly organised by the Scottish Association of Change Ringers. Those new to ringing, of any age, can be taught from scratch.

The 1st Dunblane Company is affiliated to both the Cathedral and St Blane's Church.
It meets on Friday evenings each week during school terms at St Blane's Church Hall.

   Explorer Section     P1 - 3       6.00pm - 7.00pm

   Junior Section        P4 - 7       7.00pm - 8.30pm

   Brigader Section    S1 - S6     7.00pm - 8.30pm

Sports, crafts, games, songs, fun and friends are all important elements in our evenings together.

We provide an exciting range of activities for around 150 boys between the ages of 5 and 18 each week. Each section has structured, age-appropriate activiities to interest everyone, covering sports, life skills, music and arts, competitions, personal and spiritual development, the opportunity to visit new places, make new friendships and experience new challenges. Whilst we are a Christian organisation, we welcome boys from any and all faiths and denominations and those of none. We are currently one of the biggest BB companies in the UK hence we are always looking for volunteers who share the Christian ethos of the BB, as well as welcoming boys at any point during the year. Please note that waiting lists are in operation for several year groups.

Anchor Boys - P1 to P3 - Wednesdays 6.15 - 7.15pm (St. Blane's Church)
Junior Section - P4 to P6 - Fridays 6.15-7.45pm (St. Blane's Church)
Company Section - P7 to S3 - Fridays 8.00-10.15pm (St. Blane's Church) and Sundays 10.00-10.45am (St. Mary's Church Hall)
Senior Section - S4 to S6 - as Company Section above
Band (for P6-S6 members) - Wednesday 6.45-9.15pm (St. Blane's Hall)
Pipes/Chanters (for P6-S6 members) - Thursday 7.00-8.30pm (St. Blane's Church)

Captain (responsible for oversight of all sections) - Fraser Boyd (821387)
Company Section Officer-in-charge - Graeme McEwan
Junior Section Officer-in-charge - Euan McLagan
Anchor Boy Officer-in-charge - Harry Tyler

Old Churches House is a charming and intimate eleven bedroom hotel and two elegant reception rooms,
It also has a restaurant & bar, guest lounge, 3 meeting rooms and a private 13th Century Chapel.
Old Churches House is based in what was, for many years, the well-known ecumenical centre, Scottish Churches House.