The Kilwhang Ringers

The Kilwhang Ringers, a Handbell ringing group, was established in September 2007 by Catherine Walker.

Catherine, as Director of Music and Organist at Dunnottar Church at that time, discovered there was a set of hand bells at South Church Stonehaven. She contacted Christine Hunter, who was keeper of the bells, and together they advertised for interested parties to form a handbell group.

The set of John Shaw English Bells at South Church belonged to Mrs Elspeth Richmond who, with her husband, the late Reverend Robin Richmond, had brought the bells to Stonehaven, after moving from Port Patrick.

Catherine began arranging music for handbells and encouraged members of the group, who had not previously read music, to do so.

Derek Hunter, a member of Dunnottar Church, gifted a set of Malmark American bells to the group.

The name, ‘Kilwhang Ringers’ was chosen by members of the group, Kilwhang being an old name for Stonehaven. ‘Kil’ means church, but ‘whang’ is more difficult to trace. We think it means ‘Comman’ (Quhoan). Kilwhang may therefore mean the church of St. Comman. Another possibility is that whang means ‘long road’. Kilwhang, ‘church on the long road’. The name has no written evidence linking it to Stonehaven, hence much is folklore.

As the group expanded and progressed, practices moved from South Church to the Upper Room at Dunnottar Church. Mrs Richmond kindly transferred ownership of the John Shaw Bells to the Kilwhang Ringers for as long as the group is in existence.

Current membership is around fourteen and the group is open to anyone who has an interest in making music. Unlike most musical instruments, handbell ringing is about teamwork, requiring a group of people to come together as one. The handbells can be played by people of any age.

Rehearsals are from 10am until 11:45am on Mondays during term time.

The Kilwhang Ringers have performed in Dunnottar Church for Worship Services, at the Invercarron Resource Centre, in various Care Settings, for the Church Guild and for other local organisations.

They were recorded for the Talking newspaper in Stonehaven.

2010:

The group conducted a workshop for the pupils of Dunnottar Primary School.

Following fundraising by the group this summer, the John Shaw Bells have been refurbished at the John Taylor Bell foundry, Loughborough, Leicestershire.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the Kilwhang Ringers should contact the Dunnottar Church Secretary at the Church Office by email: