Our story
From one home dumbbell to a working ropewalk
Maypole Bells & Ropes grew from one ringer's wish to practise at home. Today it's a Kent workshop making tower ropes, simulators and heritage gifts by hand.
The founder
Trevor Arnold, ringer and craftsman
Maypole Bells Ltd was founded by Trevor Arnold, a passionate bell ringer and a professional carpenter and engineer. His home tower is St Nicholas, Rodmersham, in Kent, and he is enrolled with the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).
Trevor first met dumbbells as part of a ringing simulator while attending the Tulloch Ringing Centre. He would be the first to say he isn't among the most accomplished method ringers, but he loves everything to do with bells and ringing.
He showed his early simulator designs to John Norris, who has been key to getting every finished product right ever since. Add decades of experience building quality timber buildings, and you get simulators and ropes built to last.
Built by a ringer, for ringers.
- Home towerSt Nicholas, Rodmersham
- MemberAssociation of Ringing Teachers
- Decadesof carpentry and joinery
- Since 2019designing and making in Kent
Heritage in the making
How we got here
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June 2019
The first home dumbbell
Trevor installed the very first Maypole Bells dumbbell at his own home. Unlike most simulators, it was designed from the start to stand on the floor, so nobody needed to fix a heavy dumbbell high above head height.
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September 2019
The Maypole 6 mini-ring
Next came a six-bell mini-ring simulator, launched at the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers (CCCBR) roadshow in London. The company takes its name from this ring.
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Lockdown
A ropewalk of our own
During the coronavirus lockdown, Trevor built a small proof-of-concept ropewalk. It meant every sally could be made to his own colours and standards, first for the home dumbbells and then for sets of them.
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After lockdown
Full-size tower ropes
As the UK reopened, the workshop moved to a new factory unit. Trevor built a full-size Maypole ropewalk with new tooling there, so complete church tower ropes could be made in-house.
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Today
A growing workshop
The business has since moved again, to a longer unit with room for the ropewalk and a growing collection of machine tools. Trevor now works with a small, dedicated team on tower ropes, simulators, heritage gifts and custom projects. A new Portable Dumbbell has also been developed and shown to ringers.
With thanks
To Sue, for her amazing patience. To John and Mary Norris, for sharing their knowledge, time and enthusiasm. To Phil and Martin, for their practical know-how and help.
And to the many ringers in Kent and at the 2019 CCCBR roadshow in London, and to the Kent Young Ringers, for their constructive criticism.
Ready to ring in your colours?
Heritage craft, step by step
How your rope is made
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01
Choose your colours
Three sally colours from our full range of Merino wools, and a rope colour from our yarns. Pick a classic or design your own.
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02
Crafted on the ropewalk
Wool is fed into each of the three strands as the rope is crafted, locking the colours in for good.
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03
Combed & trimmed by hand
Trevor combs and trims every sally with traditional hand tools, exactly as for a tower rope.
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04
Finished & sent to you
Spliced, checked and carefully packed at our Kent workshop, then sent to your door.
