Great Paul, The heaveist Bourdon bell in the UK at almost 16 3/4 tons

Great Paul is Britain's heaviest swinging Bell, It is located in the South West Tower of St Pauls Cathedral in London. It was cast by Taylors bell foundry and wieghs 16 ton 14 Cwt.
The bell rings at 1pm every day. It is now Electically rung but can remember it being rung manually. I believe the largest manaully rung bell is Great Peter of York Minister.
Now of course ths biggest bell in he UK is the Olympic bell, however itwill apparently never ring which is a shame.Also since taking this video in 2000 Great Paul doesn't ring either as the electric mechanism is broken.
#taylorsbellfoundary
#great Paul
#stpaulscathedral
#London life

[@kosakukawajiri5007]

It's terrifying: the anticipation when the huge first ring comes is intimidating

[@azalea19761]

Look at the enormous and monumental clapper

[@immortalgamingyt6182]

2:18 The clapper looks like it's moving in slow motion, but its in real time

[@JointedStudios]

@@immortalgamingyt6182 Thats because its a counterweighted clapper

[@j_y06]

I’m so happy this beautiful sounding bell is ringing once again

[@RingerLuca651]

@bellfan1 it rang at the start of the festival of bells by rope in 2021

[@j_y06]

@@RingerLuca651 Yeah this was what I referred to lol

[@kamaalwellens4862]

I think these enormous bells are scary as hell, and look at the clapper...almost moving in slow-motion

[@jayjohnson2919]

Kamaal Wellens Go look up the Riverside church bourdon. That bell would not even Be able to swing in St Paul's bell tower

[@FranzFerdinandVIII]

That 20-US-ton bourdon indeed cannot ring in the South Western tower. But Great Paul can ring in Riverside Church NYC

[@Blurain727]

The bigger the clapper the slower it moves.

[@cheedam8738]

@@Blurain727 an illusion, if the clapper was smaller, it will look like it is moving pretty damn quick. at least that was what i know. mass.

[@Cael-sq9hj]

U ain’t wrong

[@simonbellringer]

When we used to go to London we used to stay in a Youth Hostel which was the old St Pauls Cathedral Choir School I think. We could hear the clock chiming all through the night and hear this beaity striking. A fine tone it has!!! Pity it is so quiet outside, but there we go!!

[@vanessale3542]

Great PAUL is London St PAUL Cathedral London Westminster-Chime

[@mtraveler5]

This bell is finally ringing again. Circa 2021.

[@matthewvwuk]

Yes that was indeed fantastic & thank you for uploading this video footage of Great Paul ringing in St Paul's Cathedral at 1pm. That looks an impressive bell indeed at 16 3/4 tons & an interesting view of the swinging mechanism in action too. What a pity it isn't ringing now due to a defect in the mechanism when 1pm strikes every day! I do hope the mechanism is soon repaired at a cost effective price & restore dignity to St Paul's Cathedral & to the public too! We in Britain love our bells & I hope soon Great Paul will be ringing out again over the capital at 1pm each day.

[@Steven_Rowe]

Matthew Lovell I saw it in 1963 I was 10 It was rung manually by two ringers. The clapper was different , ir was heart shaped. My dad was a bell hanger for Whitechapel plus a member of the ASCY like me so I got to see a lot. I can remember going to Bow in 1961 as hw was hanging the new peal

[@FranzFerdinandVIII]

well @@Steven_Rowe, i was reading on the internet about how they might remotorize Great Paul, but i think it would be best to have manual swinging like you saw back in 1963 as backup.

[@Steven_Rowe]

@@FranzFerdinandVIII it actually rang higher manually. It also had a heart shaped clapper It's very difficult to either photograph or video as it is in a very crapped location higher than the clock. I must be the only person to video it I think. I hope it does ring again even though it's not the sweetest sound bell unlike Great Peter in York minster.

[@atlantis0v-104]

@@Steven_Rowe you didn't capture It ringing during the Platinum jubilee service at St Paul's

[@ThatDarkBee]

That Bell is humongous I love it!

[@columnedfox5508]

the bell has 2 ways of ringing, it can be done electrically or it can be done by hand...

[@dukedepommefrite1467]

I'm surprised you didn't destroy your speakers lol! That's one heck of a loud bell!

[@miguelnassour110]

That was the LOUDEST bell I’ve heard.

[@kirareynolds9304]

Wow the sound of liberty

[@azalea19761]

A great and sweethearted giant made of bronze and ringing with a lot of elegance

[@bethmc717]

WOW absolutely amazing yet quite eery with the creaking just incredible

[@postmodernrecycler]

A real treasure this recording is. Great Paul may never ring again--and why more isn't being done, I don't understand.

[@Steven_Rowe]

Larry Lester Larry Many thanks for you kind worlds. i seem to ve the only person to have videod it. Pity about the sound, my old VHS camera didnt have any mic control. it is very hard to video as the vell is tucked up above the clock and is to say the least cramped. This is the second time I hace seen it. The first was in 1963 and it was rung manually then. The bell rung much higher then, almost frame height. Sac to thing it doesnt ring. Iwould love to see the Olympic vell hung as a swinging bourdan bell.

[@ANDREWLEONARDSMITH]

What caused Great paul to cease ringing was the failure of the wheel motor which simply moved the wheel in both directions & due to the weight of the bell was under great strain & over the years countless motors have burnt out & been replaced then only a year or so later they fail again simply because they are not up to the job as the whole notion of using a motor driven wheel is now outdated.Now there is a solution in sight that could see Great Paul ringing again as BellTron in the USA have invented a new revolutionary chiming motor based on magnetic levitation in the form of an arc shaped linear motor that sits adjacent to the wheel which actuates a sensor on the wheel making it move. This uses only a fraction of the power of conventional motors & should be installed to get Great Paul Ringing again.

[@FranzFerdinandVIII]

@@ANDREWLEONARDSMITH wow! i never thought of that! Speaking of which, all the bells in both towers are being cleaned, even the bourdon!

[@Steven_Rowe]

Hello, firstly glad you enjoyed the video, it is hard to photograph or video becaue of the location, and also I really thank you for you comments regarding sound levels. I recorded on a Sony Analogue camera in 2000, the camera had no options regarding sound levels. The camera I have now does allow you not only to manually adjust the sound but also has an attenuattor the you can add which means much better sound. Cheers Steve

[@saidjasarevic5757]

This bell is huge and loud but a beautiful sound

[@inyobill]

Dicke Pitter, 24 tons, both are truely awe inspiring bells.

[@friedmanirit]

That has a really good powerful motor.

[@Steven_Rowe]

not to sue how big the motor is. Apparently it doesnt anymore. of course ringinhva bell like this is not as bad as you may think as the bell is counterbalanced. Great Peter of York is 10 tons and is rung manually by only one person 1n 1963 Isawa Great Paul rung and it was manually back then.

[@friedmanirit]

Okay. But I'm saying the mechanism is quite powerful to swing it to full as fast as it did.

[@Steven_Rowe]

Edaan Friedman Yes would be a decent size.but of course it runs on the wheel so that means it doesn't need as much torque Also the bell naturally swings at its own speed

[@friedmanirit]

Yes I Know. Pretty cool still.

[@Steven_Rowe]

Edaan Friedman i find it odd that there isnt more videos of it It is hard to photograph or video it is really cramped . You climb a stairway just to view it and its hard to get above it. Rather like clinbing through roof trusses in a house

[@kenday4812]

It makes you wonder How They Got the Bell's to the Belfrey.

[@fabianlehnert2795]

really nice sound this big bell.

[@BradBrassman]

Some years ago I found an old silver brooch/badge which has the registration date on it for 1882. I later discovered these were sold in commemoration of the hanging and to help pay for the hanging of the Great Paul.

[@MKROXTON]

A very big bell - That is interesting :-)

[@MKROXTON]

Watch the biggest bell of europe here: Biggest bells in europe by the Cologne Cathedral in germany in HD

[@SJSproductions]

1:58 the bell starts

[@mittagsglocke]

I know of this bell in Cologne Cathedral. I was there in the tower! But the tower ist bigger than the tower of the St. Paul's Cathedral. In Cologne there can swing another c°. In the St. Pauls Cathedral is a small tower with a big bell!

[@RenaissanceEarCandy]

What a gorgeous thing

[@johnrobinson6809]

Awesome!! Thanks for uploading this video Steven Rowe! It is indeed a time to look at history! PEACE!

[@Steven_Rowe]

Terry Robinson today sadly churches are in decline and with it goes English change ringing to some degree, although change ringing goes back to the early 1600s It is indeed English culture and I feel today the British government wants to destroy that culture to appease and please everyone else. When church bells are silent on a Sunday then England is no more in in opinion.

[@nord1486]

Just over seven'een tans Gotta love the cockney accent

[@gwendolinerogers6348]

Phil Rogers and John White swung it yesterday (5th. June 2021). It will be rung again when the City of London celebrates its re-opening on 26th. June.

[@Steven_Rowe]

Now that is really interesting. I saw it rung manually in 1963, I was 9nly 9 at the time.My dad was in the College youths was a bell hanger for Whitechapel who hung bow in 1961 along with others. I remember two pits with a finger each side. The clapper was different, it had a heart shaped ball, also it swung higher although you have to be careful as the lip of the bell would not the roof where great Tom and the two quarter Jack's are hung.

[@Steven_Rowe]

Thaanks for the info, I have heard it is out action. My father used to work for Whitechapel till 1972 If you saw Feb 10 ringing world there is a photo of the two tenors with the 11th being hoisted and the tenor on the lorry. The man behind the tenor is my dad Ernie Rowe. Getting back to Great Paul, it certainly isn't the nicest bell in the country Great Peter is better, Just a pity they don't ring it by hand anymore, It used to ring almost to frame hieght. I saw it ring in 1963 too.

[@glockenkanale]

I think because this cathedral is devoted to St Paul, that the biggest bell also devoted is to St Paul.

[@mittagsglocke]

That's a very good bell! This size you can never find in a small german bell tower.

[@GrandpaPapi]

*hells bells guitar riff begins*

[@Steven_Rowe]

The bell is located in the South West tower ( the one with the clock face It is located above the clock face. In the North West tower is a peal of 12 bells and they are located in the area that the clock face would go if it had a clock.

[@glockenkanale]

I believe that the reason for the motorisation was that the bell was not ringing optimal when it was rung by hand.

[@StevenBlakemore1994]

what a beautiful sound!

[@peterwebster3900]

About time they fixed this

[@cajf1970]

I live in Loughborough very close to the John Taylor & Co, bell foundry where this great bell Great Paul was cast all those years ago ...... I wasn't around in those days though haha.

[@bijaysharma705]

I love the ting tang chime.

[@Steven_Rowe]

There ting tang you refer to are the quarter bells that chime each 15 minute with 4 ting tangs on the hour. The hour bell strikes, it is called Great Tom and even that weighs over 5 tons

[@gwencherin8268]

Oh my god Great paul loud this is huge bell !!!!! 😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮🙂

[@abbeymaddox3114]

wow i never knew that great bell was at st Paul's london but since i saw the video its interested me now

[@Steven_Rowe]

sadly it doesn't ring anymore as far as I know as the electric mechanism is broken. I used to be rung manually and I remember seeing it in 1963 wow that was 53 years ago. .it was never very loud from outside . it is in a very cramped location above the clock face in the south west tower. above this are antother three clock bells that tou can hear well. Two quarter bells and the hour bell

[@abbeymaddox3114]

steven rowe thank's for the info

[@ziondasalla4887]

Bell is scary as hell

[@mattialivboy]

Sorry for my bad english, I'm Italian. I don't understand why this is the only footage of this magnificent bell ringing, even it's the bell of one of the most famous cathedrals in the world, that's been like a very important character in many movies.

[@Steven_Rowe]

Your English is good , yes I don't understand why it's the only footage. I have had nearly 200k views It is a very difficult bell to photograph or video due to it being above the clock face in the tower and it's very cramped indeed. The huge wooden frame doesn't help either.

[@jondoes8222]

great paul has the same tone as great peter

[@Steven_Rowe]

Well it is loud, but because of old analogue video camera the sound distorted. Newer cameras have adjustable volume control and attenuation pads.

[@pikusoldier1232]

1:29 Great tom rings 1 time

[@bigbenpro3693]

Jesus Tapia great Tom is the hour bell

[@1901Fordsomething]

@@JesusTilapia you heard that dong? Thats great tom great paul was swinging but wasn't ringing yet since the clapper didn't reach the bell and plus Great paul sounds way different then Great tom and great tom rang because the hammer was turned on and the hammer hit Great Tom thats what made the noise.

[@Steven_Rowe]

The ringing of the bell would have nil effect on the birds the bell is is not loud from street level, The bell is located in the South West Tower and is above the clock face. More significant is the North West tower with the gaping aperture, There is a peal of 12 bells with the heaviest over 3 tons, they are loud from street level Re smog, London hasn't had a smog since the early 60s, I remember them well, you could put you hand out and loose it in the smog, NO JOKE

[@ANDREWLEONARDSMITH]

How they got it up the tower when it was installed without the aid of todays mobile cranes is the greatest mystery of all.How did they do it?

[@YulianNoldor]

there are a couple of bells heavier than those one in Germany, including a giant sized steel bell ,ringing with similar equipment

[@colincharmley7569]

1:59 RIP HEADPHONE USERS

[@j_y06]

The bourdon of riverside church in Manhattan New York is way heavier than this bell. It weighs over 20 tons. And the note is C0 I think. But I prefer Notre Dame's bells more than any Of these Bells. To me, They sound Like Bells of heaven.

[@Steven_Rowe]

Evan Johnson and the River side bells were carmst by et and Johnson of Croyxon. Personally I don't like Notre Dame I prefer English changing ringing . But that is simple personal preference Would love go see Riverside bells..Also would love to see the London Olympic bell hung for ringing

[@j_y06]

steven rowe Yes me too

[@FranzFerdinandVIII]

Personally I like English bourdons

[@Corgipon]

The Tsar Bell would sound even scarier but interesting if it rang. Too bad it didn't.

[@dennyleung111]

Because the tower up in flames and the bell fell making it crack

[@neoarzengueco8292]

K8 ekdeidkske

[@neoarzengueco8292]

666

[@j_y06]

@@neoarzengueco8292 can you shut up

[@Steven_Rowe]

That was a typo I meant 1881 not 1981. I actually saw it for the first time in 1963 when I was 10, it was rung manually then .I dont know when they decided to motorize it.

[@kevinsims2254]

The 2012 Olympic Bell is nearly double the weight of this...now Britain's heaviest

[@user-ko9ru4nz2x]

👍👍😇😇😇😇🙏🙏🙏 Amen

[@TheBellsandwhistles]

I don't know precisely but I can tell you that the tenor bell at St Mary's Cathedral Edinburgh produces 115 Db(A) and it is 2 Tons 1 Cwt 1 Qtr 15 Lbs; That's one eighth the mass of this bell (nearly). For a bell of this size I would expect a sound pressure of maybe four times that. Which is 127 Db(A). Don't forget your ear defenders!

[@peterdhanl.s.1861]

Great Paul is first casted in 1881.

[@Engelhafen]

That bell has great sound! Good job - someone knows how to make a bell that has reverberation!

[@sebastiangrunewald9094]

Really hope the bell can ring again

[@Steven_Rowe]

So do I , apparently it has been rung manually like it used to be rung. It does require two people to ring it and I have seen it rung manually in 1963.

[@sebastiangrunewald9094]

How tall is the bell?

[@Steven_Rowe]

@@sebastiangrunewald9094 I guestimate around 2.4 metres perhaps more. On the video I did say it was roughly that. If you type in Great Paul bell on Google and go to images you will see early photos of it taken before it was installed and men are standing next to it. That will give you a good idea of its size. What I do know is the diameter of the bell at the bottom is 2.91 metres

[@sebastiangrunewald9094]

Thanks for the info

[@Steven_Rowe]

Actually Im not a cockney, even though Im London born and bred, my Dad is a true Cockney as he was born within the sound of Bow Bells Check out my video Bow Bells from the Belfry. Anyway Im proud of being born in London even though I now live in Australia

[@Odin029]

I just want to know how in the world anybody could stand close to that bell when it's ringing?

[@deathvalley006]

This should be Hells Bells right here! Or for Black Sabbath.

[@Steven_Rowe]

Well AC/DC have a bell, it was cast by Taylors of Loughborough as was Great Paul

[@Steven_Rowe]

@captaincook71 That is a good question to which I do not know the answer. I can only think it is rung out of tradition more than anything else. One of the comments states that it hasn't been rung for years due to an electro mechanical problem but this I cant confirm as I live in Sydney.

[@brooklynnhunt3732]

Wow What A Nice Sound

[@dysonrocks1]

I'm very sad Great Paul doesn't ring anymore. Will it ever ring again? Does anyone have any information for plans for Great Paul to ring again? If so, please let me know. This is my favorite bell in the whole wide world!

[@annar.w]

Here in 2024 and just read the caption. Has the electric mechanism been fixed yet?

[@Steven_Rowe]

I don't believe it has but it has been rung manually a few times and there is a video on youtube showing it being rung, although not one of my videos. I think it's about justifying the cost to replace the motor.

[@annar.w]

@@Steven_Rowe Very nice to hear that it has been rung manually! Must take a lot of strength (I am assuming multiple people) to get it swinging. Hopefully everything is fixed soon so it can be heard more often, glorious bell to say the least!

[@Steven_Rowe]

@@annar.w two people can ring it. Great )eter of Yorkminster is 10 tons and is easily rung by one person

[@chess1458]

Thats a serious bell

[@vanni9283]

What note is this bell tuned to?

[@ajr2011ftw]

Wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of that thing....

[@dawnmcandrew478]

this is well freaky the tone of the bell this is my old acount my name is sydney corper :)

[@fredmills368]

We all know your harry mcandrew and your behind all the teenage girl accounts

[@irenec4876]

Dawn Mcandrew Your name the is also several other youtube accounts

[@Steven_Rowe]

Actually I don't live in the UK even though I am London born and bred, I live in Sydney now.I think I would be correct in saying that it was Taylors bell foundry who pioneered harmonic tuning using Simpson tuning, basically it means that You have the strke note, and the octave above, also the hum note and octave bell but also there is a perfect 5 and a minor 3rd. If you want to hear some great bells then seach under York Minster, surely the greatest peal in the world I feel

[@EvaristeWK]

How many decibals loud is this bell?

[@marpal6049]

Not much

[@bright4382]

Probably 100

[@dennyleung111]

118 or 119 db

[@Cael-sq9hj]

Probably 129

[@Segensglocke]

120 - 130 dzb

[@YulianNoldor]

Cologne Cathedral´s bourdon bell got 24 metric tons - ringing on a straight beam even

[@SimonDeBelleme1]

If we ever get enough sense to reintroduce the death penalty, that would be a fantastic execution bell. It sets the right tone - solemn and ominous.

[@kennedibodally8486]

+Simon De Belleme this 135 year old bell is no longer rining my friend who lives in london & is used to the change ringing bells of the cathdrel saild the mecanizam wat rings t broke

[@FranzFerdinandVIII]

If the folk at St. Pauls Cathedral decided to *manually* ring Great Paul then they will save a stload of money

[@Steven_Rowe]

Yes your correct in in my description I was referring to the UK not the rest of the world, Actually the biggest bell in the UK is now the Olympic Bell but of course it was a bit of a expensive gimmick for the Olympics and is now somewhere in storage. It would be lovely to see it rung as it also Harmonically tuned. Just a pity that it wasn't cast in the UK but in Holland.

[@TheDenix8]

Yes, its called Dicke Pitter and weights 24 tons. Its the heaviest (free swinging) bell in the world. There is also Pummerin in Austria which weights 21 tons, Maria Dolens in Italy that weights 22 tons and La Savoyarde in France which weights 18 tons. In comparison to where I live, thats a HUGE difference as our heaviest bell is "only" 4300 kg.

[@atlantis0v-104]

This I think sounds very similar to Great peter of York minster, York and I believe the other similar sounding bell was mount tabor glock.

[@blocko_662]

The biggest bell in the world is actually the tsar bell with over 202 tons!

[@durrantmiller8810]

@@blocko_662 it's not functional though

[@blocko_662]

@@durrantmiller8810 I know it's still the biggest especially it cracked out an 11 ton chunk off

[@nord1486]

Originally destined for Liverpool Cathedral, of course, along with Great George, Great John and Great Ringo. But George went to Liverpool and John went to Beverley, and Ringo was never cast.

[@Steven_Rowe]

+smith23 Ah your a comedian I can see. What about the cracked ones like Big Ben.

[@nord1486]

+steven rowe Yeah a cracked bell definitely deserves to be there, just like our MPs

[@Steven_Rowe]

+smith23 lets face it is because it is cracked that it sounds so unique. I want to know what happened to the Olympic bell. They should hang it so it can be the UK uks biggest bell that actually rings

[@seeul8rwaynekerr]

+steven rowe the Olympic been should be hung for full circle ringing. and have Jean Claude van damme and chuck Norris called in to ring it!

[@seeul8rwaynekerr]

+steven rowe the Olympic been should be hung for full circle ringing. and have Jean Claude van damme and chuck Norris called in to ring it!

[@simonbellringer]

Taylors didnt know the meaning of the word "little" did they?!?! Superb sound, just LISTEN to that HUMMMMMMM!!!!

[@GrnArrow092]

It would be interesting to get up there with a decimeter and measure how loud this bell is. From the video here, it sounds like it will deafen you on the first strike.

[@korbyntaylor8089]

It sounds like great peter.

[@Sub___Zero]

Like by me. Great sound. Cool bell. Nice name of the bell. and.........HAIL Great Paul...!

[@weilheimer78]

Where is this bell located in the belltower?

[@Steven_Rowe]

It is called Great Paul because the Cathedral is named after the great apostle Paul who wrote the greatest portion of the new testament

[@hervatianimation3710]

At 1:28 It Sounded Like Great Tom Chimed at 1 PM

[@campanerosdelaltoojaezcara6761]

great !!!

[@bellboy222]

I used to work for Whites of Appleton, who rehung the twelve bells at St Pauls, and have the contract to maintain the bells. Once we went to see Great Paul. All that was wrong was that the chain which is coupled to the electric motor which powers the bell had clearly not been well maintained, the chain was dry of lubricant and had therefore worn, and finally slipped off the wheel. Unfortunately, Whites do not hold the contract to maintain Great Paul and its mechanism. Whitechapel do, apparently!

[@joeritchie7286]

Beast

[@Steven_Rowe]

@peckishere That may well be the case. I took this video in 2000 so whether it sounds in 2012 O cant say. All I know that it was always rung straight after the 1pm hour bell had struck.

[@Clockmainiac5445]

That is one massive bell...

[@Steven_Rowe]

According to the St Pauls website the strike note is e flat. I saw it rung manully in 1963. In those dayst the bell was rung almost up to frame height. You cant ring it higher for two very good reasons. 1) It has outrigger attachements ot the headstock and also the lip of hte bell would hit the roof. It is not very loud out side and for sheer sound and tone Great Peter of York is a finer sounding and louder bell

[@SPCBrookfield]

It almost sounds like great Peter

[@ameliaviolet6970]

+Steve Burtch great peter of york is manually rung but great Paul is not + it no longer rings

[@jimadf8649]

One of the greatest bells is made in Greece and it weights 20 tons

[@FranzFerdinandVIII]

What is the name of the bell?

[@stylusfantasticus]

a glorious Whale Bell !!!

[@TheDenix8]

I read on St. Paul's site that this bell doesnt ring anymore due to broken chiming machanism. Is it still so? Or was it repaired?

[@porlawright]

Hi, we had a tour of the north west tower bells last year and was told that Great Paul's mechanism was broken - is this it fixed now then??

[@Steven_Rowe]

@TheAngelofNight The head stock is nothing to do with tower strength but everything to do with making the bell ring slower. also also if a bell of that mass were rung on a straight headstock it would be virtually unringable. Tha counter balanced clapper is requried otherwise the bell would hit the clapper on the low side of the bell,, the clapper should always stiike the bell on the high side of the bell. The technical name for this type of bell is a bourdon bell. Regards Steve

[@user-jq8jy8ld4u]

GREAT! But why does it ring every day and why at 1 pm?

[@campanerodejalostotitlan3698]

it sounds like great george!

[@FranzFerdinandVIII]

Great George of Bristol or Liverpool?

[@yourbro9167]

Bristol

[@1BODGER95]

, thank you !! :) I feel privilaged to have seen this. Do you know it's strike note?

[@paulwood6017]

Hi Steve, Am trying to trace old friends and we rang bells in St Anne's Church when we were 6 years old!!!! Would love to get in touch.(I am in Hertfordshire - Not as sunny as Sydney!!!)

[@makeminemusic341]

titan clockman chime

[@hunkymac]

Does the bell Tina at 1 in the early morning by person or automatically?