Ring Out Your Dead is the fourth episode of the fifth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders. It was first shown on 15th September 2002.
Synopsis[]
Murder is in the air in the village of Midsomer Wellow as Barnaby and Troy investigate the death of Greg Tutt, who was shot through the heart. He was a member of the local bell ringers and the village Lothario, whose fed-up wife had recently thrown him out; he had also been eyeing Emma who is engaged to Liam; these two are both members of the bell-ringing team. Reggie Barton leads a group of villagers who are opposed to the bell ringers using the church as a hobby, especially after their impromptu concert celebrating their big win at the track with their pooled funds. When a second bell ringer is killed, Barnaby tries to connect the recent deaths with church lore about a vicar who was killed and dumped down the well more than a century ago.
Plot, Part 1[]
In 1860, the vicar of Midsomer Willow is running up the stairs and is hit on the head by a giant bell. Bell ringers throw him down a well.
Present day: In the rooms above the Cozy Kitchen Tea Rooms, Sue Tutt yells at her husband, Greg Tutt, "You are without doubt the vainest, blatant-est, loathsome-est serial womanizer in the history of adultery." She throws his clothes out the window. After she leaves, an older woman, Rosalind Parr appears from under the covers.
Hugh Barton is dealing with men removing furniture from his home. His Uncle Reggie Barton asks if he is moving. Hugh is in debt and has creditors on his tail. Hugh tells him he is redecorating.
At the church, Joyce is working on a brass rubbing in the church. Maisie Gooch, church archivist walks in. Bell ringer Emma Tysoe is practicing in the bell tower. Her fiancee, Liam Booker walks in, followed by Frances Le Bon, Marcus Steadman, and Greg Tutt. Peter Fogden is director of the bell ringers and they are practicing for a striking competition. Peter works at the Midsomer Constabulary in Maintenance.
At the Cozy Kitchen Tea Rooms, Angie Blunstone asks Sue if Greg is back. "Back is not an option," says Sue. "I daresay he will fall on his feet," says Angie. "Either his feet or the missionary position," says Sue.
At Rosalind's home she tells Greg she is off to London to have lunch with her husband. She leaves Greg at her home. She says he can stay until she gets bored with him.
At the police station, Peter is cheering on his horse, "Ring a Ding Ding" wins the horse race. Peter won 30 grand to split between the 6 bell ringers. Peter says the only one way to celebrate- Bell Ringing.
At the Cozy Kitchen Tea Rooms, Hugh is drinking tea that he spikes with whiskey. Angie asks if Greg is sharing his winnings from the horse race with Sue. After all, he stole the money for the bet from the till.
Rosalind is unhappy that Greg is late to her home after bell ringing. The dogs are barking. There is a letter for Greg slipped under the door. He laughs at it and slips it into his bathrobe. Rosalind is waiting in bed for him. After Greg leaves in the morning, Rosalind finds the letter and burns it.
Joyce tells Tom she doesn't understand why he's so grumpy about the Bell Ringing. Maisie walks up and says there may not be any. Reggie is blocking the church door along with several other villagers. Liam goes to move him out of the way and the Bell Ringers go on in.
Plot, Part 2[]
MURDER 1: Greg hasn't shown up for the practice. Emma starts ringing her bell. Blood start dripping on her face. She screams. Greg is found up in the bell tower shot through the heart. With a piece of paper on him saying DING DONG BELL.
Barnaby talks to the remaining bell ringers. Peter complains about the tower being out of bounds. "It's just like Greg dying in a way to screw their chances in the striking competition." Marcus says he feels compelled to tell the truth. He met Greg earlier in Causton. Greg boasted about a letter he had purportedly received from Emma Tysoe. An invitation for a bit of "leg-over" in the bell tower. Before the wedding. Liam attacks Marcus and then runs out. Emma denies sending at letter.
Troy gets assigned to interview Rosalind, lady of the manor. She says she last saw Greg that morning. Troy asks about the note delivered to Greg. Rosalind denies knowing about the letter. "Our relationship was fleeting and exclusively carnal," says Rosalind. She shredded Greg's clothes after he buggered off to Causton. "I do the taking for granted, not the men.. with Greg's sad demise, there is a vacancy in the exclusively carnal department," says Rosalind to Troy.
Sue Tutt tells Barnaby he is confusing her for someone who gives a damn. She has been hoping for a "Greg free existence for a long time" and she didn't need to blow his chest open, just throw his clothes out the window. Angie tells Barnaby Greg was a real charmer.
Emma tells Liam she never sent the letter. Liam says "why should Marcus lie. The wedding is off." "It can't be off," cries Emma, "My mum's done all the cooking."
Troy tells Barnaby that Rosalind cut up all Greg's clothes. He is in shock. Barnaby tells him to take the rest of the day off.
Marcus hides a box under his bed with things he has collected from Emma. He's in love with her.
Reggie Barton drops by Hugh's house. Reggie says Greg's death is no great loss. Reggie talks to Hugh about his will. Hugh is the principal beneficiary. But Reggie tells him he clearly doesn't need the money. So, Reggie is planning to give it to the church but only if they get rid of the bells. Hugh is not happy to hear about this turn of events. He is broke.
At the police station, Troy is examining evidence and Barnaby walks in with the bullet. Troy found a torn up check for 100 pounds made out to Rosalind Parr. Troy asks Barnaby if he can make a return visit to the Parr house since he is senior officer. (He is nervous around Rosalind.)
At the bus stop, Liam tells Emma he is sorry. He wants the wedding to go on. "Let's not waste your mum's sausage rolls."
Barnaby interviews Rosalind. She ripped up the check from Hugh Barton since he is broke and hopeless with money. She takes pity on some men. Barnaby tells her she lied to Troy. They found the name Emma on a piece of the letter. Rosalind admits she did burn the letter and she did it to protect Emma Tysoe.
Barnaby goes to Maisie's home and meets her nephew Dennis and his pregnant wife. Her nephew says he is pleased someone in the family is happy about the pregnancy. "Write and tell the old misery," he says. Maisie says the old misery is her brother who thinks the family line should die out. Maisie tells Barnaby she did see Frances with a gun. She won a gun championship in 1964. Frances admits that she used to be a good shot. She goes to show Barnaby her guns in the gun case.
That night before the wedding, someone breaks a pane in the church window and lays a sign "Vicar's in the Well" under church bulletins.
Plot, Part 3[]
MURDER 2: Emma and Liam are married. Barnaby looks on. While taking photos, someone shoots Emma. Barnaby runs in, sees the broken pane, sees the sign "Vicar's in the Well." Barnaby interviews everyone. Maisie tells him that Vicars in the Well is a corruption of the verse. She shows him the well where the vicar was dumped in 1860. Troy says "are you saying Greg and Emma were shot because they are bell ringers?" Troy thinks Marcus is the culprit since he was in love with Emma. Marcus is crying in his room.
Reggie tells Hugh he has written to the bishop about the inheritance. Hugh suggests that Reggie should hold back for a few weeks. Reggie insists repairs are vital. Hugh offers to deliver the letter. But Reggie says Sue Tutt is going to deliver the letter for him.
Barnaby returns Frances' guns. They are not murder weapons. He asks if she has a home computer. Marcus comes in after Barnaby leaves. "You should've told him." Frances says no.
Hugh sees Peter outside the Cozy Kitchen and tells him that his precious bells are as good as gone. Peter wants to know about the letter but Sue refuses to tell him.
At the Cozy Kitchen, Sue brings food for the bell ringers. Marcus shows Peter the note left on his doorstep. "Who Put Him In." Marcus resigns. Frances received a letter too. "Little Tommy Thin." Peter says the notes are just mind games. Peter asks if Angie wants to join the bell ringers. A disheveled Liam walks in. He says he spoke to Emma and she wants him to carry on.
Plot, Part 4[]
MURDER 3:
As Marcus and Frances are walking home, Marcus hears bells ringing. They go to the church to investigate. The gate is locked and Frances climbs over. Marcus, who can't climb, heads home. On the path he thinks someone is following him. He starts walking faster and breathing heavily and has to use his inhaler. When he gets to the stream, gasping for air, someone pushes him into the stream with a walking stick. A note floats next to him "Who Put Him In?" At the church, the bells are not ringing. There is a recording playing with a microphone in front of it. Peter says Marcus' death was just an accident. Frances thinks it is her fault for leaving him. Peter claims Midsomer Deverell probably did it. Barnaby says that someone is targeting bell ringers. Frances shows Barnaby the note she received. Troy calls Barnaby. He is in Marcus' room and he has photos of Emma all over his walls. Frances tells Barnaby that she acted as a parent to Marcus.
A walking stick is found in the stream.
Barnaby and Troy are called to Reggie Barton's house. Hugh says he passed away in his sleep last night. "Poor Bugger." He's been agitated for days about the bell ringers. Barnaby asks Hugh if the walking stick found in the stream could have been Reggies?
Troy goes to talk to Rosalind about the letter she burned.
Frances admits to feeling guilty. What kind of gun killed Greg and Emma? Frances says that her husband used to have a pair of guns like the ones involved in the killing. 10 years ago, a pair were stolen from the back of her car and she never reported it. When her husband died, Frances didn't pursue reporting the theft. She sobs on Barnaby.
Rosalind tells Troy what was in the letter to Greg. "I've seen the way you look at me. I know what you want and I yearn for you too. It will be our secret. A lover's tryst. Signed Emma." Troy doesn't think the words yearn or tryst are the types of things Emma would say.
There is a break in at the Cozy Kitchen .....Rosalind starts to kiss Troy when he gets a call about the break in.... Barnaby and Troy arrive and step carefully over broken glass. The intruder starts going through Sue's desk. He is unmasked. It is Hugh. He had been trying to find the letter that his uncle had given to Sue. Hugh says he wouldn't have hurt his uncle. He was a cantankerous old bugger, but he was a fine man. Sue says that Reggie knew about Hugh's financial problems. The letter to the bishop thing was a charade to try to get Hugh to own up to being broke. Hugh still inherits, whether he deserves to or not.
The remaining bell ringers await their chance to perform in the competition. Troy sneaks into Peter's house.
Barnaby researches vicars and bell-ringers. "1860. The new vicar at Midsomer Wellow came into conflict with the bell ringers. Tried to force them to attend church services, had their cask of beer removed from the ringing chamber. Seems like the Reverend Jonathan Ebbrell disappeared one night after a stand-up row with the ringers and his body was found the next day in the well. Although there is little doubt that the bell ringers were responsible, the constabulary met with a wall of silence." Barnaby asks Joyce to look in the local phone book just in case there is still an Ebbrell about. Troy finds an army issued Enfield revolver in Peter Fogden's sideboard. The judges announce that Midsomer Willow has won the striking competition. Fogden is ecstatic. He admits to Barnaby that he stole Frances' guns. "They were sitting in her car. The window was open. They were crying out to be nicked. I wasn't thinking straight. The wife had just left, taking half the marital income with her," says Fogden. He thought he could sell them. They go to his house to look at the guns. But one is missing.
Joyce goes over to Maisie 's house. She meets her nephew, Dennis. He tells her his last name is Ebbrell. "Auntie's only a Gooch by marriage." Joyce calls Barnaby. She tells him what she found out. Barnaby and Troy run to the Gooch house and find all the notes on Maisie s computer.
Plot, Denouement[]
Fogden persuades the two other bell ringers, Liam and Frances, to go with him to the church to celebrate. Cue Creepy Music..... Maisie comes down the aisle of the church. In the bell tower, the bells won't ring. Liam goes upstairs to investigate and finds the clappers have been tied. Then he is shot. Barnaby runs up to the church tower and finds Liam. Meanwhile, Maisie confronts Peter and Frances with a gun.
Maisie says, "If you wish to say a brief prayer, Frances, you have time..." "But I've done nothing to you, Maisie ," says Frances. "You're a bell ringer. You have an outstanding debt to pay. All of you. From 1860. It's only five generations. A blink of history since the Reverend Jonathan Ebbrell was murdered in this church. I have very close links. Blood links. To the man you killed. Jonathan Ebbrell was my great, great, great grandfather. He died at the hands of bell ringers. His widow was reduced to poverty and five generations of Ebbrells have been dogged by disaster and despair, depression and suicide." "Maisie that is tragic, but not of our doing," says Frances. Maisie continues, "The bell ringers of Midsomer Wellow killed him. They escaped the law of the land. You are the bell ringers of Midsomer Wellow. You cannot escape the laws of justice and retribution. There's no release other than expiation. We're all bound by history, you see. History and blood. My nephew's wife is having a baby, you know. For the sake of that unborn baby, for the peace and happiness of other Ebbrells yet to come, the debt must now be paid."
Upstairs Barnaby manages to get one of the bells to ring, startling Maisie down below and Troy manages to tackle her. He gets hit in the face with a swinging rope. On the way out of the church, Maisie stops to talk to her nephew. "The baby will be fine, dears. The furies of our family blood have been avenged. I think I've done enough."
At the Cozy Kitchen Tea Rooms, Troy's bloody face is being attended to tenderly by Rosalind. "Need an ambulance?" asks Barnaby. Troy says he is fine. Sue tells Barnaby that she doesn't want to press charges against Hugh for his pathetic attempt at a burglary. "Besides, with a bit of training the arch criminal could make a very decent pastry chef. He just needs a proper job and a bit of sensible financial management," says Sue. "You mean the right woman," says Barnaby. "I'm willing to risk it,' says Sue and smiles at Hugh.
Barnaby asks Troy if he wants a lift home. But he is enamored of Rosalind.
Cast[]
- John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby
- Daniel Casey as Sergeant Gavin Troy
- Jane Wymark as Joyce Barnaby
- Hugh Bonneville as Hugh Barton
- Dugald Bruce-Lockhart as Greg Tutt
- Harry Burton as Dennis Ebbrell
- Graham Crowden as Reggie Barton
- Jamie de Courcey as Marcus Steadman (as Jamie De Courcey)
- Carmen Du Sautoy as Rosalind Parr
- Clare Holman as Sue Tutt
- Gemma Jones as Maisie Gooch
- Caroline Lintott as Jen Ebbrell
- Lyndsey Marshal as Emma Tysoe (as Lyndesy Marshal)
- Steven Pimlott as Judge
- Adrian Scarborough as Peter Fogden
- Julia Swift as Angie Blunstone
- Gwen Taylor as Frances Le Bon
- Seamus Whitty as Liam Booker
- John Warman as Bell Ringer (uncredited)
Galleries[]
Body Count[]
Prior to the Episode
Historical murder in 1860. Chased and hit on the head by a large church bell that was rung by bell ringers, and thrown into a well.
In the Episode
Lured to the bell tower with a supposed letter from Emma Tysoe and shot in the heart with an Enfield revolver. He then had a note put in his hand which said "DING DONG BELL".
Shot in the heart with an Enfield revolver right after her wedding through a church window that was broken through the night before. Inside the church was left a note which said "VICAR'S IN THE WELL".
While having an asthma attack his inhaler was thrown into a river and as he was reaching for it, he was pushed inside facedown where he drowned. Earlier that day he received a note which said "WHO PUT HIM IN".
Died of natural causes in bed.
Body Count Notes[]
- Frances Le Bon also received a note which said "LITTLE TOMMY THIN" and during the final attempted killings Barnaby and Troy found inside the church a note which said "LITTLE TOMMY THIN ... WHO PULLED HIM OUT ... LITTLE TOMMY STOUT ... ". These notes are not only a reference to the death of Jonathan Ebbrell, but also to an English poem entitled Ding Dong Bell.
Supporting Cast[]
Episode Images[]
Arrests[]
Maisie Gooch for the murders of:
Notes[]
The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes:
- Caroline Lintott - Death in Disguise, Sins of Commission and The Straw Woman
- Clare Holman - Country Matters and The Miniature Murders
- Adrian Scarborough - Picture of Innocence and A Dying Art
- John Warman - The Straw Woman
Trivia[]
- Historical Murders: The Reverend Jonathan Ebbrell was the vicar of Midsomer Wellow from an unknown date until 1860, when he was murdered.
- Reggie's comment about pilots shooting at the Luftwaffe with their service revolvers is actually based in fact. During a daylight raid against Bergen in January 1945, Flight Lieutenant Ray Harris, flying Lancaster Willing Willie with 9 Squadron, drew his service revolver and fired at White 11, the FW-190A-8 of Unteroffizier Heinz Orlowski, who had flown alongside the Lancaster to salute the pilot, in the belief that the damage that had been inflicted would prevent the aircraft from returning home.
- A rarity in the series, if not the only one, there is no pathologist called in on any murder.
The Trials and Tribulations of DS Gavin Troy:
- Troy gets assigned to interview Rosalind who tells him there is a vacancy in the exclusively carnal department.
- Troy tells Barnaby that Rosalind cut up all Greg's clothes. Troy is in shock. Barnaby tells him to take the rest of the day off.
- After being hit in the face by a bell rope, Troy is attended to tenderly by Rosalind. "Need an ambulance?" asks Barnaby. Troy says he is fine.
Quotes[]
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Goofs[]
- Near the beginning the bell ringers unlock the church for practice but Joyce is inside doing a brass rubbing.
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