Church Bell Ringing Resources.

Church Bell Ringing Resources

Church bells are rung to signify the start of a church service, and are usually rung for several minutes before the service starts. The bells are often rung for other occasions within the church, such as for weddings and funerals. The solemn tolling of a single bell to signify the passing away of an individual was made famous in Dorothy L Sayers' novel "The Nine Taylors", and more recently with the funeral of Queen Elizabeth.

  • AbelSim Change Ringing Simulators
    Software simulating ringers for practice at home and as a simulator in towers.
  • Army Guild of Ringers
    The Guild of Army Bellringers was formed in 1959 and after some difficult years it was reformed as the Army Guild of Bellringers in 1996. The guild exists to promote and encourage the art of change ringing among serving and retired British Army personnel as well as their partners and MOD Army civilians.
  • Assessment of masonry bell tower response to bell ringing using operational modal analysis and numerical modelling
    The authors carried out an investigation into the dynamic response of a bell tower. The main focus of this study was to investigate the mechanism behind the perceived high vibration response during bell ringing as well as to provide an assessment of the severity of vibration response with respect to risk of damage to the structure. A combination of operational modal analysis techniques (including a noncontact measurement option) and finite element modelling was used to analyse the dynamic response of the structure. This paper discusses the measurement and modelling techniques implemented in order to assess the effect of bell ringing to the tower structure as well as retrofit and monitoring strategies proposed in order to manage and monitor the motion of the tower for improved safety. (PDF)
  • Association of Ringing Teachers (ART)
    ART is a self-financing charity with a mission to improve the learning experience of all ringers. New teachers will gain the confidence, techniques and support required to emulate the best, whilst experienced teachers will benefit from the resources and ideas which meet people's expectations of a hobby in the 21st century.
  • BellBoard
    Submitting and browsing ringing records is quick and easy on BellBoard.
  • Bell Ringing Glossary
    This on-line glossary is based on the comprehensive glossary in  The Tower Handbook, which John Harrison wrote for CC Publications in the mid 1990s, plus later additions.
  • Bellringing at St Mary’s Barnes
    Bellringing at St Mary’s Barnes Anglican Church which has witnessed to and served the London, England community for over 800 years.
  • Bell Ringing at Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon
    Shakespeare would have heard bells ringing at Holy Trinity church when he was alive. There's a record of a donation being given for the restoration of the bells in 1502 and for the purchase of five bells from Hailes Abbey in 1550. The current ones were installed in 1948, some being recast from earlier bells, so they are not the same bells now as they were in his day, but it is clear that there were bells at Holy Trinity from before Shakespeare's birth. His two Stratford homes, one where he was born and raised, and the other to where he returned after living in London, as well as the school where he was educated, were all in the town centre and in earshot of the bells.
  • Beltower Bell Ringing Software
    BELTOWER is multi-functional software for change ringing, incorporating a bell ringing simulator, method, touch and peal printing, editors, composer, prover and much more.
  • Blueline
    This site contains various tools and bits of information of interest to bellringers.
  • Calling Touches
    These bell ringing pages deal with learning to call and conduct touches for change ringing on church bells which are hung on full circle wheels.
  • Catholic Encyclopedia: Bells
    Overview of the history and use of bells, especially by the Cathloic Church
  • The Central Council of Church Bellringers
    The Council is the representative body for all who ring bells in the English tradition with rope and wheel. Founded in 1891, the Council today represents 65 affiliated societies, which cover all parts of the British Isles as well as centres of ringing in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, South Africa and Italy. These societies in turn comprise the members of the local companies of ringers in their areas. The Object of the Central Council is to advance the practice, heritage and appreciation of bell ringing as an enjoyable mental and physical exercise and unique performing art for the public benefit of both church and community.
  • Change Ringing at Smith College
    The current band of ringers at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts includes Smith students, faculty and alumnae. There are also members from the wider community, including ringers from Mount Holyoke College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, New Hampshire and Connecticut.
  • The Changeringing Wiki
    An online community encyclopedia for change ringers. This wiki has been created to build up an online repository of articles, a definition of technical terms, ringing hints and tips, and answers to frequently asked questions raised on ringing forums and email lists.
  • Derby City Centre Ringers
    Group of ringers based in Derby, England and responsible for ringing the bells at St Peter's Church in the city centre. In addition to ringing for Sunday services, the bells are rung for practices, to mark local or national events, or sometimes just for fun. We also take part in ringing at other towers, both locally and across the country.
  • Discover Bell Ringing
    Bell Ringing is an activity like no other – a unique mix of physical exercise with mental agility that is a deep part of our history but still practiced and evolving today. Discover the world of bell ringing, and enter a hidden world that provides the soundtrack to our nations, cities, towns and villages.
  • Dove’s Guide for Church Bell Ringers
    Dove’s Guide is a resource giving details of all the towers in the world containing bells hung for English style "full circle" change ringing, with an ambition to extend the scope of this resource further.
  • Richard Duckworth and Fabian Stedman, Tintinnalogia, or, the Art of Ringing (1671, Digital version, Project Gutenberg).
    A book on bell-ringing 'Wherein is laid down plain and easie Rules for Ringing all sorts of Plain Changes'.
  • The Essex Association of Change Ringers
    Founded at Writtle, near Chelmsford, in 1879, its boundaries are those of the old county of Essex prior to April 1st, 1965. With a membership of over 1000, the Association is committed to the furtherance of the work of the Church by ringing bells, promoting bells and bell ringers, and keeping the bells of Essex churches ringing.
  • Guildford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers
    Association of change ringers covering the Church of England's Bristol and Gloucester Dioceses.
  • Handbell Manager
    Handbell Manager is free software (under the GNU General Public Licence) that enables USB motion controllers to be used as dummy handbells with Abel, Beltower, Ringing Room and Muster.
  • Irish Association Of Change Ringers
    The Association was formed in 1898 and promotes the ringing of church bells for divine service throughout the island of Ireland and the study of scientific change ringing. The Association consisting of approximately 300 members is also affiliated to the global body of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers which is based in the UK. Other countries affiliated include Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, Italy and South Africa.
  • Learning the Ropes
    Learning the Ropes is a structured, progressive scheme to learn the art of bell ringing – similar to music grades or karate belts. Ringers get an individual Personal Progress Logbook and at the completion of each Level are presented with a certificate of achievement from the Association of Ringing Teachers.
  • Lewisham District training
    Training church bellringers in the Lewisham District of the Kent County Association, and more widely, this YouTube channel has recordings of change ringing training sessions carried out online from April 2020.
  • Love's Guide to the Church Bells of London
    Belfry archaeology and history in the City of London.
  • Method Database
    The online method database, a collection of bell ringing methods. Search for methods by their title, or go to the search page for more advanced search options. For more information about the database, including how programmers can use it to look up methods from their own programs, go to the introduction.
  • Middlesex County Association and London Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers
  • Pimlico Learners’ Page
    "Bell ringing has been suspended at Pimlico, just as it has almost everywhere, and nobody knows how long this is going to last! So I am putting together some “stuff” which I hope will be informative, interesting, mind stretching and, dare I say, fun. (I am trying hard not to use the word “homework”!) Some of you will know some of what follows already but I hope there will be something for everyone. And if there is something you don’t understand or something you would like me to add, please let me know. I plan to add more to this page about once a week until either the lockdown comes to an end or I run out of steam ... "
  • The Rings of Twelve
    The website is built around and served from a relational database. The project scope provides for Bell Data (Notes, Weights, Diameters, Hanging Data, Dates, Founders), Inscriptions, Details of Previous Rings (of twelve) in the tower, and thus allows analysis and comparison of rings of bells. Additionally, the site forms a repository for articles, news items, peal records and sound recordings of the twelves.
  • The Ringing World
    The Ringing World is a weekly magazine produced by ringers, for ringers, about ringers and bell ringing. Each issue normally comprises 24 pages, with 4 or more in colour. Edited by an active ringer, it contains articles, advice, reports, training material, notices of ringing events and many other items of interest.
  • The Scottish Association of Change Ringers
    Dunblane Cathedral is one of 17 sets of bells hung for change-ringing within Scotland. All these towers are part of the Scottish Association of Change Ringers. The Association organises regular events such as striking competitions, training sessions and social events.
  • St Mary's Church Ecclesfield Bell Ringer's Website
    The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin is situated in the village of Ecclesfield, South Yorkshire.
  • The Sussex County Association of Change Ringers
    The Sussex County Association of Change Ringers was founded on 24 January 1885. Today they have about 1300 members from more than 130 church towers right across Sussex. Their aims, which have changed little since those early days, are to promote and support change ringing on bells in Sussex. Bellringers in Sussex would welcome you as a new recruit!
  • Virtual Belfry
    Virtual Belfry is a bellringing simulator program for PCs. It includes various animated graphical displays designed specifically to help with teaching and individual practice.
  • The Winchester and Portsmouth Guild of Church Bell Ringers
    The Winchester and Portsmouth Guild of Church Bell Ringers is an active Guild representing Bell ringers across Hampshire, The Isle of Wight, and the Channel Islands. This website contains a LOT of news, including forthcoming events, as well as a whole section for people wanting to Learn to Ring.
  • WinRK
    WinRK is a database application, to assist in organising all your ringing performances in such a way that you can readily analyse and report on all the things that matter to you. Whether it is a quarter peal, full peal, tower or handbells, WinRK can effectively record it for you. Furthermore, you can also import records from Andrew Craddock’s Peal Base.
  • The Worcestershire and Districts Change Ringing Association
    Bell Ringing in Worcestershire and the Midlands.