About Bellringing

Nobody knows when the bells were first placed in this tower but our oldest was cast in 1603. The tower itself was first built in medieval times and assumed its present peculiar shape in the 18th Century when the very thick south wall and the rectangular bell chamber were constructed. There is a suggestion that the tower was enlarged to accommodate bells relocated from Missenden Abbey. Indeed there is much 'second-hand' building material in the tower which may also have come from the Abbey, including part of a large 13th Century window and the circular staircase.

There is no trace of the former abbey bells but the present ring may include some metal from them. In 1990 a major restoration included the construction of a new steel frame and the addition of two more bells. For details of the bells, Click Here.

Our bell chamber is two floors above the ringing chamber with the bells mounted on a massive steel framework. Four of the bells swing north/south and four swing east/west which is necessary to prevent the tower joining Missenden Abbey at the bottom of the valley. The bells are reached by the short, narrow spiral staircase to the first floor, and a ladder into the ringing chamber.

To help us ring these relatively heavy bells, each bell has its own ringer. The bells are mounted on axles with big wheels around which pass the ropes you see in the Ringing Chamber.

A bell can be rung by hitting it with a hammer or by swinging it from side-to-side until the clapper strikes the rim. The distinctive feature of English change-ringing is that the bells start from a position upside-down. This enables each ringer to modify to a surprising degree of accuracy the time interval between each strike. Thus, bells can continually 'change places' with each other.

The ringer controls the bell with a rope, the tail end of which is held at all times. The fluffy bit (called the 'sally') is grasped and pulled. The bell is lifted off its rest position, close to the point of balance, and rolls through 360 degrees. As it does so the rope drops a little and then is drawn up round the wheel to which it is attached. The bell rings when it is close to the top of its revolution and the ringer takes control of it with the tail end of the rope. The rope is pulled again and the bell is sent on the return cycle. The ringer regains control (and this is the tricky bit) by catching the sally at the right moment. The bell rings once again.

The beautiful sounds that are heard when the church bells are calling people to worship are only achieved with long practice and experience. However, one is continuously practicing basic bell control, Rounds and Call-Changes, then progressing to learning different tunes or 'Methods'.

Method ringing, in the years since its invention, has lead to many books of compositions that are meant to tax the ringer, and give the listener a pleasurable experience. Using one or more of those methods experienced ringers will attempt very long rings, called peals or quarter peals, to celebrate particular events such as Royal weddings or the induction of a new priest, and sometimes for fun. At about two and a half seconds per round, a peal can take up to three and a half hours which requires stamina and a great deal of concentration.