Bell Ringing

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

We started to discuss my hobby of campanology on another topic, so I thought I’d tell you more about it here.

Campanology is bell-ringing. Or more specifically English Church Bell-ringing. It is the sound of England.

The Secret Seven may make a den in a shed/windmill/caravan but we bell-ringers also have cosy dens in our bell towers (often half way up) where we meet together in our not-so-secret society, with cups of steaming hot tea and the all-important biscuit tin!

Although I consider myself an atheist, I acknowledge that I am a cultural Christian, in that Christianity is the sea in which we Westerners swim. And history and tradition are important to me. The bell whose rope I am holding in this photo is called Gabriel and was cast in 1440. How much Great News has it rung out for?

https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1433094" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bell ringing is a fantastic hobby

It keeps you fit. You may be controlling several cwt of metal, but like the technique of bike riding on the flat, once you’ve got the knack, it shouldn’t be hard work

It keeps the brain working. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can make the bells ‘dance’ by swapping the order. This is called method ringing. My brain knows its limitations!

It’s cheap – all equipment provided!

It gives you the chance to go on all sorts of outings to wonderful places. I’ve rung a couple of times at Winchester Cathedral, and to get to the huge ringing chamber we walked in the void below the roof and above the fan vault ceiling. (In this clip I’m not ringing, but I might be sat down in red top!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BSPKm67x7c" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You don’t need to be a paid-up Anglican! I am happy to ring for Sunday Services, and our Vicar knows that I will slip out when the service starts. Most C of E clergy would welcome ringers from other denominations – or none!

Wherever you go in the country, you’ve got a bunch of mates. Often when I’m away, I will look up practice nights, stick my head round the door of the tower and introduce myself, and then get welcomed in.

Not all ringing is for religious services. At my suggestion, the bells of Dorchester now ring out to welcome our new British Citizens after their Citizenship Ceremony at County Hall

For those who want to watch some wholesome videos – try these!

This one first. St Dunstan is one of my heroes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR32AT1QaF8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is more about techniques. We now have computer teaching aids - not scary old men shouting numbers at you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLMiK-TMyPI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Find out more here
https://www.bellringing.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Best wishes
Viv

[Katharine]

Viv, I really enjoyed the clip of the bells. The documentary about bells looks very interesting, I'll try and watch it tomorrow.

You certainly make a good case for the hobby of campanology - I can only think of one negative point - you can't take the instrument home with you to practise.

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

I can only think of one negative point - you can't take the instrument home with you to practise.

My tower captain doesn't accept that as an excuse. We mayn't have been able to practice for a year, but our rookie ringers were instructed to tie up a length of rope and practice making coils this week. Which is why I spent the afternoon being a human bell for a horizontal practice this afternoon...

Thought - so many Blyton boys just happen to have rope tied around their waists - perhaps they are also rookie ringers

Viv

[Boatbuilder]

Thanks for the original post and videos, Viv. Most interesting.

BUT WHERE IS THE PICTURE FROM TODAY?

[Courtenay]

I would LOOOOOOVE to learn English bell ringing!! One of these days, when I'm settled near a church where they ring regularly... Thanks for the videos and info in the meantime, Viv!

And yeah... when do we get to see how you got "roped" in today???

[Boatbuilder]

Viv has kindly emailed me her 'human bell' picture from today and has asked me to post it on here for her, so here it is.

Thanks, Viv.

[Splodj]

My father was a ringer. A fringe benefit is that you have a good funeral!

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

I'll look forward to it!

The coloured fluffy bit of a bell rope is called the "sally" but I've no idea why! Sometime I'll arrange a visit to a rope factory to see how it is made.

Viv

[Boatbuilder]

My father was a ringer. A fringe benefit is that you have a good funeral!

Nothing the bell ringer would remember though.

[Boatbuilder]

The coloured fluffy bit of a bell rope is called the "sally" but I've no idea why! Sometime I'll arrange a visit to a rope factory to see how it is made.

Viv

Here's something about it that may help, Viv.

https://wiki.changeringing.co.uk/Sally# ... %27.%20and" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Links from the main page from where that link comes may be of interest to you as well.

https://wiki.changeringing.co.uk/Main_Page" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stephen]

I went to church until about the age of 12, and I do remember one day they invited us up the tower to show us how it was done. I think they might have even let me have a go without much success, but they all made it look so effortlessly easy!

I can only think of one negative point - you can't take the instrument home with you to practise.

You can - with handbells! The bell ringing team of my church were led by a husband and wife who were also locally famous for their handbells. The wife was also a dinner supervisor at my primary school, and she often did assemblies showing us how to play these instruments. Anyway, it just so happened that I was internet surfing last year, and found their names as honorary regional members of the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain. Sadly, the wife passed away in March, but the husband is still going strong. He said in the local paper he doesn't go up the tower so much these days being over 90, but still very much involved in all things handbell-related. Quite charming that someone has been so passionately connected with bell ringing for over sixty years!

[Anita Bensoussane]

My father was a ringer. A fringe benefit is that you have a good funeral!

I'll look forward to it!

Good photo, Viv!

[John Pickup]

I love the sound of church bells. If I remember correctly there used to be a recording of bells being rung just before 6.00am on Sunday mornings on Radio 4.

[Boodi 2]

Thanks Viv, your posts, photos and videos are fantastic and most informative. The two churches in our village have bell towers and the bells ring every hour, before church services and for special occasions/commemorations, but I suspect it is done automatically as I have never heard of anyone going into the tower to actually ring the bells.

[dsr]

If anyone wants a book about bellringing, then I found "The Nine Tailors" by Dortothy L. Sayers both informative and interesting. Partly because it has a very good detective novel woven in! Perhaps Viv could let us know how accurate the bellringing parts are, if she's read it? I've always understood they were pretty good.