Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1878 — English Bell-Ringing. [ARTICLE]

English Bell-Ringing.

A number of bells hung together is called a “ring,” the number generally varying from five to a dozen, which last is the greatest number that has yet been hung in a steeple. When the highest note—the treble bell—is sounded first, and followed by the consecutive notes until the deepest or “tenor” bell is struck, the bells are said to be rung in “ rounds.” The fascination which this art has for its followers is shown by the fact that all the groat performances in ringing have been undertaken solely for the honor accorded to such feats. When a peal of 6,000 changes is attempted, it is considered of no account unless it is “ true.” The requirements are somewhat exacting. If the same change should occur twice, through an error of the composer, it is a “false” peal. The ringing must be completed without a stop or hitch; and, as at any time during the three hours that will probably be occupied, a ringer may lose his way, and cause the others to be confused, a “jumble out” will probably ensue; the conductor may miss a “call,” which is required to carry the changes to the length required, or may make one too many; a man may miss his rope and send liis bell over the balance; or a rope may break. Thus, until the last change of a peal is struck, it. is never safe for the ringers to congratulate themselves upon its performance. Now-a-days long peats are only con-

sidered as feats when the same men—only one man to each bell—ring throughout the peal. When a peal of great length is attempted there is, tiierefore, cause to fear that at the last moment one of the men at the “ heavy end,” as the bells near the tenor are called, may give out. For instance, in ringing according to Stedman’s principle—a very complicated method, on eleven bolls—the peal of 7,892 changes rung in 1848 in four hours and fifty-live minutes at St. Martin’s, Birmingham, where the tenor bell weighs thirty-five hundred-weight, continued the “longest on record” until 1851, when it was beaten by the College Youths, a very old established Lonilon society of ringers, who rang 7,524 changes in five hours and twenty-four minutes at St. Giles’, Cripplegite, where the tenor weighs thirty-six hundredweight. The Cumberland Youths, another old London society, thereupon tried to beat this performance by ringing 8,184 changes at St. Michael’s, Cornnill, the tenor of which rings weighs fortyone' hundred-weight. On the first occasion they “jumbled out” after ringing nearly six thousand changes; and at a subsequent attempt rang six hours andtwommbut were -then so used up that they could not finish the peal, ana were compelled to stop when they had rung ”7,74<> changes. Now, although this was longer than the peal rung by the College Youths, it was an incomplete performance, not being continued until the bells returned to the order of rounds, which they would have done at the 8,184 th change. The Cripplegate peal was at last beaten by a peal of 8,448 changes, rung in 1858, at Painswick in Gloucestershire. Although the tenor of the ring of twelve at Painswick only weighs twenty-eight hundredweight the College Youths actually attempted to beat this length at St. Saviour’s Southwark, where the tenor weighs fifty-two hundredweight. They were, however, unsvtccessfulr as after ringing over 8,000 changes in six hours and a half, they got into a “jumble,” and thusa most remarkable feat was lost, and considered of no account, when another half-hour would have completed a performance which might never have been excelled. In their next attempt the College Youths were more fortunate, as on April 27, 1861, they rang at St. Miclieal’s, Corn • hill, insix hours and forty-one minutes, a peal of 8,580 changes of Stedman’s Cinques, which still remains the longest length rung in this method on eleven bells.— Chambers' Journal.