Campanology or Bell Ringing
In the sixteenth century church bells began to be hung on big wheels, this enabled ringers to fit in with other ringers to weave patterns known as methods or bell ringing tunes. Both Ridge and South Mymms need more ringers. We welcome anyone over the age of 12 years to visit either church (South Mymms on a Thursday 7.00 pm – 8.00 pm.
or Ridge on a Friday 5.30 pm – 6.30 pm.) to see what bell ringing is all about.
Although we ring before services people of any faith or none are welcome to ring
and may leave before the service starts.
Many universities have ringing groups, joining one of these helps you to get around a new area and meet local people. Ringers often visit other churches, go on ringing holidays and often see places you would never visit. If you move what better way
of settling into a new community than going along to a ringing practice.
Do come and visit us or telephone 01707- 645 866.
(Sometimes we cannot ring as we haven’t enough ringers.)
Ringing Vocabulary (part 1)
When anyone first comes to bell ringing there are a number of words to learn
and their meanings.
Let us start in the belfry that is where the bells are hung in a metal or in the case
of St Giles’ a large oak framework.
The bell hangs down from a head-stock with it’s mouth facing the floor and up inside is the clapper. The clapper has a shaft, a ball and a flight. When the bell
is rung the ball hits the inside of the bell and makes the sound.
Ringing Vocabulary (part 2)
The headstock pivots at either end on gudgeon pins attached to the framework. At one side a piece of straight grained ash stands up from the headstock, this is called a stay. At the other end there is a big wooden wheel to which a rope is attached to the middle
of the spokes then comes out through a small hole (garter hole) in the wall of the wheel, drops through a wooden pulley box and down through the belfry floor. Beneath the bell near the floor is a piece of wood attached to the frame called a slider which pivots so that the wood can be pushed to and fro by the stay.
The stay and the slider are very important, can you guess why?
Ringing Vocabulary (part 3)
Goodness, part 2 was 5 months ago, now the answer to the question. “Why are the stay and the slider so important?” The answer:- If the stay or slider were broken or taken away the rotation of the bell would be full circle causing the rope to be wound round the wheel. The rope would get shorter and if the ringer did not let go he/she would be lifted off the floor. When the stay meets the slider it turns the bell back and stops it going right round. If one obeys the rules this should not happen. Anyone who has not had bellringing tuition should never touch a bell rope.
Ringing Vocabulary (part 4)
Now what happens in the room where we actually ring the bells, the rope has a fluffy part about 60cms long of various colours. This is called the sally and if we pull that down we call it the hand stroke. This sally is about 2 metres from the bottom end of the rope. The bottom 50cms of the rope is turned back up and tucked through the rope. We call this loop the tail end and if we pull on that part it is called the back stroke.We never let go of the tail end but we pull the end of the rope then pull the sally as well.
Learners are desperately needed at Ridge and South Mymms so why not come to see what we do, when we are practising at St Giles’
A cheap hobby, very sociable and great for visiting so many lovely villages.
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