Bell Ringing at Linton, Cambridgeshire

Part of a very well struck quarter peal of Plain Bob Doubles rung on the 19th of September 2021. I was sad to see it come round so soon, but was thoroughly enjoyable throughout.
Situated close to the River Granta, East of the village centre, there was probably a wooden church on the site in Saxon times, though there is no concrete evidence of any structure existing there until the 11th century. The current church is believed to date from the 15th century, with all perpendicular features present today dating from this period. The tower once had a spire as shown in the 1600 manorial map commissioned by the Millicent family. In 1703 the spire collapsed during a great storm, falling through the nave roof. It was replaced by a small bell tower as seen in an 18th century etching, however this was removed in 1900. The tower roof is now occupied by a small bell cote in which the clock bell is hung.
There were 5 bells until 2005 when Whitechapel added a new treble, with Whites of Appleton rehanging the bells in the existing John Warner frame. They blend together well, working with each other’s distinct tone to create a grand sounding, though rather tough going 6. The tenor, cast in 1754 by Lester and Pack, is an especially fine bell for it’s age. Bells 2,3,4 & 5 are all 17th century with the 2nd being the oldest (John Draper 1616). The clock bell hung on the roof (photograph included at the end of the video) dates from 1450, and is a quiet but sweet addition to village life in Linton. They are relatively easy to ring, with a low draught and effective rope management in the clock chamber to avoid any oddities caused by the low ceiling. However, the weight distribution between bells means they are rather difficult to strike well, and can clump together in a syncopated rhythm. Despite this, with the right band they really do sing, and the tenors hum can be enjoyed at its best.
The video was taken on an iPhone 11 using the wide angle mode, hence the slightly grainy appearance. The audio was taken using a Zoom H4N with two Behringer microphones suspended from the ladder to the roof. Unfortunately they seem to have picked up the treble rather prominently, though overall it really shows the true colours of the bells well.
With many thanks to the Linton ringers, and Dave Richards for lending me the recorder.
Photo credits for the clock bell picture go to Keith Nightingale, steeple keeper at Linton.
Tenor: 14-1-14 in F
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