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, discovered there was a set of handbells at South Church Stonehaven. She contacted Christine Hunter, who was the keeper of the bells, and together they advertised for interested parties to form a handbell group. The set of Whitechapel 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 American Bells to the group. The name, "Kilwhang Ringers" was chosen by the members of our 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 the South Church Hall to their current residence in the Upper Room at Dunnottar Church. With a membership of around twenty, the group is open to anyone who has an interest in making music. Rehearsals are from 10am until 11:45am on Mondays during term time. Requests for performances and group expansion required the use of both sets of bells. Mrs Richmond kindly transferred ownership of the Whitechapel Bells to the Kilwhang Ringers for as long as the group is in existence.

To date the Kilwhang Ringers have performed in Dunnottar Church for worship services, at the Invercarron Resource Centre, in Clashfarquhar and Havencourt Care Homes, for Guild evenings and in education. Recently they recorded some music for the Talking Newspaper in Stonehaven.

Members have attended workshops in Glasgow, 2007, and Dunblane, 2008.

2009 -- Catherine Walker has been writing and arranging music for Hand Bells with voice and also Hand Bells with instruments. She has purchased a set of chromatic Belle Plates which we plan to take into some of the primary schools for workshops.

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