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WHAT A CLANGER!!
I don’t know whether any of you were within listening distance
to the
church on Sunday 29th August but if the bells sounded somewhat
different to you it was because the clapper fell out of the 9th bell
whilst we were ringing for Evensong. From a quick glance at the records
it would appear to be the first time we have had any damage to this
clapper since the recasting of the bells in 1934. We were able to
obtain a replacement from the Bellfoundry in Loughborough within ten
days and the sound is now back to normal. The ninth bell is the seventh
note of the scale and without it we had some interesting note and
musical combinations! If the door to the belfry is open have a look at
the old clapper sitting in the stair well. We think it was welded
together at the break point to obtain the length required for the
replacement one. It is quite heavy and it took three strong men to haul
it up the staircases to the bells and refasten it in position!
Now some explanations about the ‘jargon’ used last month –
What is a tied bell? From the diagram of the bell shown you can see the
clapper hanging down. As the bell swings the clapper will sound against
the side of the bell. When we do our teaching we place a wooden clamp
across the mouth of the bell holding the clapper in a central position
and preventing it making any noise as the bell is rung.
What is a quarter peal? This is where the ringers ring 1260 changes,
starting and ending in rounds, on the bells without stopping and this
usually takes about 45 minutes to ring. A full peal consists of over
5000 changes and this takes over three hours.
Rounds are the bells rung in order ie: 1 2 3 4 5 6 etc
Changes are where the bells change order ie: 2 1 4 3 6 5 etc
Did anyone spot Robert Webb amongst the ringers in the September
issue?
Robert has been learning to ring with us on Tuesday evenings since the
spring and along with William Ubi and they were elected Associate
members of the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers at the August
monthly meeting. Becky Hirst was elected a full member. The picture
this month shows Robert, William and Becky (who also sings in the
Chamber Choir) with their certificates.
Sadly William returned to Nigeria after spending 6 months in Sheffield
but it is almost as close to come back to England to ring church bells
as his nearest tower is about 3000 miles away in Kenya! We look forward
to seeing him back.
More next time including our autumn outing.
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