Bells of St Mary le Bow.

A video in slightly greater depth than last one showcasing this fine ring, as part of a general ringing session organised by Jack Pease.
Lots was rung and everyone was catered despite some last minute dropouts and frantic messaging. Some of us naturally gravitated to the pub afterwards!
The tenor clapper output is a lot better than the previous one - it has more volume, more hum and brings out the bass and roar from the tenor, especially when listening by the stairs as you walk in. Whilst they are a challenging ring and balance points are a must, once you get used to them, they are a joy!
This time, I will be that person who records themselves ringing the tenor. Must say though that it was a most enjoyable experience ringing the Little Bob Royal with two top ringers next door on the 9th and 10th - which you can just make out in the reflections at 09:14
Quite a long video, so split it into sections - pick and choose the clips you want to watch.
00:00 - Intro
00:25 - Grandsire Cinques
05:57 - Belfry shots - including rounds and Plain Bob Major
07:54 - Grandsire Caters
09:14 - Little Bob Royal
13:13 - Call changes
14:39 - Downwards on the back 10

[@Steven_Rowe]

Always brings bit of a trar to my eyes seeing Bowm my dad Ernest J Rowe and Bill Theobald hung these bells in 1961. I was 8 years old and i remember going down to Bow one evening with my sister There was a tryout on and I went up to the belfry. The Tenor was up and a special chiming hammer was installed so it could be chimed whiost the bell was up. This was used only once and it was for Prince Phillip who opened the bells. Obviously after the opening and the chiming the 12 rang out.

[@bellminsterboy]

Fantastic video Alex, thanks for supporting and helping me out. Despite the large range of abilities, I thought we coped well with these magnificent but challenging bells, especially in the Grandsire Cinques, Stedman Caters and Little Bob Royal.

[@christianong3703]

Well how did you strike that 2 tonne 41cwt in C tenor on your own then 🤔 😃 and the 29cwt in D eleventh and that 20cwt in E tenth but because you were all lowering 10 they would have been the nineth and eighth but how did you strike the back 3 bells on your own but you'll never do that at York Cathedral St Paul's and Exeter Cathedrals and Liverpool Cathedrals tenors not with a 59cwt in Bb 61cwt in Bb 72cwt in Bb and 82cwt in Ab

[@markanthony7184]

First and foremost, by practicing good technique! As I see it, when the bells are say, 3/4 of the way down one needs to begin to switch the focus from worrying so much about being in the right place, to maintaining clapper momentum! (the clapper swings at a different time and speed to the bell of course) Notice how the tenor ringer in particular near the end, starts checking the bell considerably. This is because he wanted make sure that the clapper was bouncing nicely off the sound bow of the bell to help generate clapper momentum to keep it going! If he hadn't done that, the clapper would likely have stopped swinging, meaning that it's movements are synchronized to those of the bell, almost as though the clapper was tied in fact. If that happens then you simply won't get it to chime at the end! It helps to ring the bell often enough to get to know it's idiosyncrasies. If you lose clapper momentum with lighter bell, say up to about 15, 18 hundredweight or maybe up to about 20, you can usually bully it into chiming again has been my past experience, but bells over a ton usually need forethought and technique. I hope that helps, I'm sure there are many others who know more than I do who could describe it better. I would think ideally the bells at York minster and St Paul's and so on would be to heavy which is why they usually ring ten down in peal and just drop out the back four and chime the first six. Have a look at some of Scott Adam's videos at the cleaver teamwork they use when ringing heavy bells up and down in peal. Best wishes to you as always Christian.

[@philippratt5922]

@@markanthony7184 or in the case at the moment, not much physical effort is required at all to keep the tenor chiming. It goes up right with one person ringing it up!

[@christianong3703]

@@markanthony7184 ohhhhhhh right okay 🤔 but still it's a mmmmassive bell 🤣 no way ha😂 ha ha ha ha ha those bells are glorious Le Bow there a lovely 12

[@christianong3703]

@@markanthony7184 and yes Scott Adams from Exminster in Devon did that at Norwich Peter Mancroft there lighter then these bells tenor there is 37cwt in B

[@christianong3703]

@@markanthony7184 and all the best to you