Westminster Abbey Bell Ringers

The Westminster Abbey BellRingers demonstrate their technique for us.

[@kirwanqueren]

Incredible, beautiful, breath taking I would never move if I lived near this. Its the best sound in the world, the sound of pealing bells. I am not Christian, but I live near a Cathedral, and every time the bells peal they just make me happy to live there.

[@vercalle01]

Compliments for the quality of the bells and the skill in playing. From an intalian bellringer (Bologna).

[@timothyj1966]

nothing sounds so English than the happy chimes of this sort of ringing.... great video... thanks for posting.... makes me think of Christmas!

[@paulhschneider]

This reminds me of Princess Diana's funeral and the tolling of the bells

[@lunaticonthegrass111]

Good to see so many people looking into 'English full-circle change ringing' (the full title for this style of bellringing) after that wedding.

[@Whittingtons]

Glemsford! My Mum lived there when she was a kid. Keep up the ringing. My Grandparents live in Bury St. Edmunds. Nice bells at the cathedral there.

[@Steven_Rowe]

A very nice sounding ring, I must admit I do love hearing and Ringing Stedman Caters. I think stedman is one of the loveliest sounding methods and I think that Caters is is the pefect balance, sounding better than Triples and better than Cinques.

[@FinalOptions]

When in Basel, we stay near an old church that sounds 2 times a day......we love it.

[@contraposaune]

@overcastwithshowers - the wheels are larger on heavier bells, so the strokes are longer. Therefore you need to be higher to pull through fully. hence: boxes! :)

[@cliveperryman3242]

Fantastic striking thankyou❤

[@bogalusa5]

Remarkable! I love the sound!!

[@lunaticonthegrass111]

Good question. There are two reasons: The first is that is stops lots of rope falling onto the floor and so reduces wear on the ropes. The second is that having a lot of bellrope by someone's feet is potentially very dangerous. Incidentally, the 2 ringers standing on boxes are ringing the 2 largest bells. These bells have larger wheel to match, and so need more rope to go around the wheel.

[@irkibby]

That is correct. You have leave wider or smaller gaps between the blows of your bell, to correspond with the blows of all the other bells.

[@Larsky1010]

The best part of the recent royal wedding!

[@fargenvonwitbier]

i want to maybe do this someday. I read the notes that the bells are tuned to on wikipedia.

[@irkibby]

@Yodasstuff There is no music written for it All ten of these ringers are listening to the rhythm, and are evenly spacing out their bells. Notice that the call to start the method only comes at 1:08, this is when the conductor decides that the rhythm has been hit. Also the "cadence" of a piece of ringing depends upon the weight of a set of bells and how they are hung. If you took these ten ringers to a tower which had a lighter ring of thells then the ringing would undoubtedly be faster.

[@vercalle01]

With gratefull admiration, by a bellringer from Bologna (Italy)

[@ebethgrace]

+traccia d'un'ombra Truly, I was not expecting such a wonderful performance when we went here. How lucky was I?

[@nickpodas5636]

@@ebethgrace very nice bells

[@SittinOnTheToiletFan]

Wow, you'd want to get payed heaps for doing that on the Royal Wedding - All that reminds me of is watching it... that sound. Memories forever.

[@irkibby]

An apology will not be given, being as it wasn't directed at you.

[@irkibby]

@giojeu Certainly. There were ten people in the tower, ringing exactly as you see here.

[@TrainmasterCurt]

Good to see churches that still use bells like this!

[@irkibby]

@95tupolev Peal of Spliced London and Bristol was duly scored

[@irkibby]

@MrEhemaliger To ring to this high standard, yes.

[@belvedere261]

if fabian stedman could here this he would be well pleased to hear his priciple being rung so well

[@irkibby]

All ringing should be this good.

[@waltzplayer]

It sounds so nice!

[@kernowoggie]

Love to ring Stedman here myself, with Mr Pladys conducting, of course. No-one beats him at conducting it.

[@irkibby]

Evening they are ringing a touch of Stedman Caters, Caters being on 9 bells with the tenor covering.

[@Craspic]

I can't watch this without remembering a scene in "The Vicar of Dibley" in which they were composing an announcement for the church newsletter that said something like "Come to bell practice and we'll show you the ropes!"

[@1BODGER95]

I can name at least three change ringers who are very good, experienced and knowledgeable ringers, and one of which is a bell founder. I strongly advise that you take head from the facts being given to you, foul language or not! As me and Irkibby are talking perfect and true sense, I do believe it is you sir who must hush!

[@alwellus]

That is the one thing I really miss about England and Europe - they don't ring bells in America like this!

[@brain8484]

yes the churches are more concerned about making themselves rich and a high standard of living , than spending money on bells

[@ringeradam4575]

Not necessarily - there are quite a few thriving change-ringing towers in the United States! If you live near Boston, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, New York (Manhattan), Charleston SC, Miami, Seattle, Philadelphia, Kalamazoo, Shreveport, Sewanee or several other places, you can ring to your hearts content. There are also peals of bells in Maryland, Delaware, Georgia, Virginia, and even Hawaii.

[@AshleyMonck]

Ringer Adam and 2 two towers in Washington DC

[@lunaticonthegrass111]

@grison7 Yes it is, although only 8 bells are being rung there. (Here there are 10 bells.) I don't think it's the same ring of bells as well, but the way in which the bells are being sounded is the same.

[@Knappa22]

I think this ringing is superb - I wish we could do our rounds this smoothly lol! I always get put on a very troublesome bell and clash with everyone. Ah well!

[@1BODGER95]

I advise you read a book entitled "Tntinalogia" which was written by one of the first change ringers, Richard Duckworth. It was written in the art's very early stages, not in the 1970s, but in the 1700s! It goes into how it was developed, the expanded use from handbells to swinging bells, and how change ringing bells came to exist. No mention of any sort regarding catholic monks.

[@irkibby]

@Craspic I remember that bit. And strangely, Jim is in fact very similar to most bellringers....

[@SilverWolfMoon]

Well, us Pagans can appreciate the beauty of this form of worship, regardless of what god(s) are involved...

[@irkibby]

I certainly am.

[@persnickity123]

Outstanding!

[@ProfMoose]

They are easy going with no surprises but they are also very unforgiving and the Abbey requires a very high standard of striking. All makes for a rather tense experience. It's also a very long climb - continuous 120 steps, no breaks ;-)

[@kernowoggie]

I don't mind a bit of an argument, enlivens the spirit!

[@SubaruB4RSK]

@paulthewall02 yeah this video here.. youtube no longer allows us to paste links so seach "Princess Diana's Funeral Part 21: The Bells and The Applause" What I get confused is the changeover.. If a person is doing Method ringing do they just have to worry about their own bell but keep the spacing while playing?

[@irkibby]

@VolkgartenBySquirrel Ringers, not players. And yes, there are methods (pieces) that can be heard thousands of times all acros the country in a week, and there are rarer methods, mostly on 8,10, and 12 bells, which arent heard very often. On 8 bells the "extent" is 40,320 changes, and this has been rung non stop using a single band of 8 ringers. It took 17 hours and 58 minutes.

[@irkibby]

@SittinOnTheToiletFan Well no, you wouldn't. These people love doing this. The ringers on the Royal Wedding day actually got paid a small fee (I think about £20), and they also got a piece of the wedding cake.

[@UrbanLegendLsZ]

wow, look at all of those bell ends!

[@OoYesIKnowOoYesIKnow]

Westminster Abbey Cardio-vascular work-out room

[@namm256]

Must be an ASCY band - although not a member myself, I recognise about half the band and I know those are ASCY members.

[@kernowoggie]

I do know my "stuff"!

[@irkibby]

@LordAmsterdan Ringing bells in this fashion is a system which evolved more than 350 years ago in England. It's a certain technique which requires a lot of practice but unfortunately it is not a profession. Otherwise I'd be doing it!

[@irkibby]

WHAT A LIBERTY!! brilliant.

[@irkibby]

Change ringing gradually evolved after the reformation. Therefore, whatever the heck is change ringing going to have to do with monks?

[@irkibby]

That's the way to do it!

[@grison7]

Isn't the sound that we hear at the beggining of High Hopes by Pink floyd?

[@LauraBellringer]

i really, really want to ring here oneday, don't think i will get the chance to though!

[@barbara5706]

Do you get rope burns doing this without gloves? Great job. I love the sound. Do you have to count at all? How many hours do you practice?

[@irkibby]

practice makes perfect.

[@1BODGER95]

Not at all! No one is rubbish, as ringing is an exercise in which all you can do is excel once bell handling is mastered.

[@Whittingtons]

Did anyone hear the quarter here on Jan 1st? What was it like?

[@irkibby]

@topshed34a I agree with you wholeheartedly... Caters has much more potential for music and better rollups than Triples, without being as stressful as Cinques. It is my favourite method.

[@95tupolev]

I enjoyed hearing these bells today, ringing for the royal wedding. Did they score the peal of London royal?

[@irkibby]

@barbara5706 feel a bellringers hands and they'll be covered in hard skin! It involves a lot of counting, concentration, rhythm and it varies for each ringer... it depends how seriously you want to take the hobby

[@Yodasstuff]

How do you learn how to ring the bells together with the right cadence and when to change cadence, etc? Is music written for this? I'm in the US and don't get to hear the sound of real bells very often. Beautiful! Keep up the tradition!

[@simonbellringer]

@topshed34a Love Stedman, but Caters sounds a bit "wrong" - maybe cause of the odd number of pairs? Though it DOES sound much better than DOubles!! If done well, Cinques sounds brilliant!!

[@edders05]

The Abbey is not in a diocese, it is a Royal Peculiar, and as such under the sole authority of the Sovereign.

[@BellCamPrank]

you make it look so easy I'm just an amateur in comparison

[@1BODGER95]

Well, Mr.asaenz1836 wouldn't know a bleed'n bell if it struck him over the head, never mind call changes. That's how accurate his sources are!

[@1BODGER95]

I will leave you with this. Sir Isaac Newton was one of the first English bell ringers. Was he a Monk?

[@kernowoggie]

Would love to ring here but I bet you have to be invited or something. When do they practice?

[@pal05pmajor3]

lol theres a familiar sound lol i bet there nice to ring

[@UrbanLegendLsZ]

@MrEhemaliger Yes, a 5 year old can do this if he were able to reach it. Its easy as abc.

[@simonbellringer]

@LordAmsterdan No, ringing is a hobby, not a proffession!! And yes, it is a technique, which may take time to master... but then, it may not!! Some bells ARE automatic, but the vast majority of bells in England are rung this way.

[@1BODGER95]

doves says there are 4 unused bells, plus a sanctus. can anyone enlighten me????

[@Steven_Rowe]

Your right about Cinques, and I suppose it depends on how good a 12 bell ringer you are, and I am certainly not that good, I am happy though to drum the tenor and just get into almost a trance listening to the small bells dance between the back 5 I ring at St Andrews Cathedral in Sydney

[@anonmonen]

Change ringing as we know it today emerged in England in the 17th century. To that era we can trace the origins of the earliest ringing societies, such as the Lincoln Cathedral Guild, which claims to date to 1612[4] or the Antient Society of Ringers of St Stephen in Bristol which was founded in 1620 and lasted as a ringing society until the late 19th century. No Mention of Monks there then!!

[@concorde216]

what dioscean is the Abbey part of? Or is it even in the Aincent Society of College Youths? Regards Gareth

[@kernowoggie]

I don't snivell and if you do, take a lem sip!

[@silviaruhsen4666]

Leamington Spa bells

[@overcastwithshowers]

why do some people have to stand on boxes? why not give them longer ropes?

[@irkibby]

in what way?

[@bsmithofjy]

Ah you will dont worry ;)

[@GOLD1702]

what about the other tower??

[@irkibby]

ah!

[@ebethgrace]

See more about london on my blog: londonandelsewhere dot blogspot dot com

[@BNCA70]

I can't get past plain hunt and grandsire and bob doubles on rope sight, other than that I'm useless, total mental block. Drives me crazy.

[@cyclistdudes]

I'm pretty sure there is nothing stopping women ringing here, they ring in most towers but it seems a fairly male orientated sport although there are still quite alot of women who ring and ring to this high standard, some are even husband and wives ringers just not on this ocassion

[@jsncrso]

Half muffled peal sounds better

[@irkibby]

you originally said that changeringing came about because of monks. It did not. Fact.

[@user-bp6yl3di6p]

STEDMAN CATERS

[@irkibby]

to be precise you spelt Stedman wrong.

[@ryansand123]

Queen Elizabeth 2 Coronation bells was best!

[@irkibby]

lol.

[@irkibby]

you are talking complete nonsense. This is English Full Circle Changeringing, which is identical to any other tower with change ringing bells in England, and even the world (Although at Westminster Abbey, and other high profile towers the ringing is kept at a very high quality). This paticular set of bells were cast in 1971. The method they are ringing is Stedman Caters, which can be, and is, rung on any set of bells numbering 10 or more.

[@1BODGER95]

WHITECHAPEL He he he

[@irkibby]

let the div have his rant. It's amusing, I don't think he even knows what he is arguing about any more.

[@1BODGER95]

No Ladies???

[@1BODGER95]

I don't think he does either. Lol.

[@irkibby]

"sectarian turmoil"? Please explain?

[@kernowoggie]

to be precise Steadman is a "principle" and not a method.

[@AshleyMonck]

That’s like saying Cambridge is a Surprise and not a method. Stedman is a method

[@hunga224]

google --- monty python bells---and all will be revealed.

[@Knappa22]

This kind of personal abuse is very saddening to read.

[@irkibby]

tit.