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* TIDBIT *
about the Bells at St Mary-le-Tower
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The information was provided by George Pipe at St Mary-le-Tower
* TIDBIT *
about the Bells at St Mary-le-Tower
CLICK ON PICTURE TO ENLARGE
The information was provided by George Pipe at St Mary-le-Tower
"Change ringing, the traditional English method of sounding bells swinging full circle, evolved during the 17th century. The basis of the art is that having started from 'rounds' (ringing down the scale), each bell follows a pre-determined path amongst the others, so that the bells ring in a different order each time until they return again to rounds. Fully developed, this becomes an intricate and exacting science which today is keenly pursued by over forty thousand men and women of all ages. They form a well organized and important part of the Church and social life of England and indeed many other countries where campanology has taken root.
The bells and ringers of St Mary-le-Tower are amongst the best known in Britain. There were five bells and a Sanctus in 1553 of which Miles Graye I of Colchester recast the Treble in 1607 and the Tenor in 1610. In 1671 John Darbie of Ipswich recast the 2nd and 4th and added a Treble to make a ring of six. By the addition of two trebles by Christopher Hodson in 1688 this ring became the second octave in Suffolk. The first full peal recorded on the bells is Grandsire Triples on 12th December 1735. Here is a quick video showing three leads of Kent TB Max being rung on the glorious 12 at St Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich. The bells were being rung at the end of the railway guild tour to Ipswich. Rob Lane, who posted the video to YouTube, is ringing the 11th.
Two more Trebles to make ten were cast by Taylor in 1844/5. Then with the great Victorian rebuilding of 1865, the opportunity was taken to provide Suffolk with its only ring of twelve, for in the following year a new Treble and Tenor were added. In 1976, a full scale restoration took place with the recasting of eight of the bells by Taylor of Loughborough, including a fine new Tenor of 35cwt in the key of Dflat, retuning the remainder and rehanging with all new fittings. A sharp 2nd was added in 1980.
In 1999 the 5th was recast, and the 8th retuned. Bells 9, 10 and 11 were replaced with bells cast to a heavier weight. The old 9th went to Australia to form the Tenor of a ring of 8 in the key of F#. The old 10th is hung in the Tower as the 'passing' bell and the old 11th is also hung in the Tower as the Sanctus bell. Here the bells are shown by diameter, date, weight and note. The peal is tuned to the key of C# (545 Hz).
There has been a ringing tradition at St Mary-le-Tower for over 300 years and certainly from 1880-1939 the St Mary-le-Tower society was the leading twelve-bell Company in the land. Over 400 peals have been run, here, many of them for notable occasions. George Pipe, who contributed this history to the St Mary-le-Tower website, is the great great great nephew of James Pipe, who rang a peal here in 1816.
The bells and ringers of St Mary-le-Tower are amongst the best known in Britain. There were five bells and a Sanctus in 1553 of which Miles Graye I of Colchester recast the Treble in 1607 and the Tenor in 1610. In 1671 John Darbie of Ipswich recast the 2nd and 4th and added a Treble to make a ring of six. By the addition of two trebles by Christopher Hodson in 1688 this ring became the second octave in Suffolk. The first full peal recorded on the bells is Grandsire Triples on 12th December 1735. Here is a quick video showing three leads of Kent TB Max being rung on the glorious 12 at St Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich. The bells were being rung at the end of the railway guild tour to Ipswich. Rob Lane, who posted the video to YouTube, is ringing the 11th.
Two more Trebles to make ten were cast by Taylor in 1844/5. Then with the great Victorian rebuilding of 1865, the opportunity was taken to provide Suffolk with its only ring of twelve, for in the following year a new Treble and Tenor were added. In 1976, a full scale restoration took place with the recasting of eight of the bells by Taylor of Loughborough, including a fine new Tenor of 35cwt in the key of Dflat, retuning the remainder and rehanging with all new fittings. A sharp 2nd was added in 1980.
In 1999 the 5th was recast, and the 8th retuned. Bells 9, 10 and 11 were replaced with bells cast to a heavier weight. The old 9th went to Australia to form the Tenor of a ring of 8 in the key of F#. The old 10th is hung in the Tower as the 'passing' bell and the old 11th is also hung in the Tower as the Sanctus bell. Here the bells are shown by diameter, date, weight and note. The peal is tuned to the key of C# (545 Hz).
| Diameter | Bell | Date | Weight | Note | |
| 2' 1" | Treble | 1975 | 4-0-0 | G# | |
| 2' 2" | 2# | 1980 | 4-2-15 | G | |
| 2' 2.5" | 2 | 1975 | 4-2-10 | F# | |
| 2' 3.5" | 3 | 1975 | 4-3-1 | F | |
| 2' 5.5" | 4 | 1975 | 5-2-26 | D# | |
| 2' 7" | 5 | 1975 | 6-1-12 | C# | |
| 2' 8" | 6 | 1975 | 6-2-26 | C | |
| 3' 0" | 7 | 1946 | 9-0-13 | A# | |
| 3' 2.5" | 8 | 1975 | 10-1-14 | G# | |
| 3' 6.5" | 9 | 1999 | 14-2-12 | F# | |
| 3' 9.5" | 10 | 1999 | 18-2-0 | F | |
| 4' 3" | 11 | 1999 | 25-1-21 | D# | |
| 4' 9.5" | Tenor | 1975 | 34-3-16 | C# |
There has been a ringing tradition at St Mary-le-Tower for over 300 years and certainly from 1880-1939 the St Mary-le-Tower society was the leading twelve-bell Company in the land. Over 400 peals have been run, here, many of them for notable occasions. George Pipe, who contributed this history to the St Mary-le-Tower website, is the great great great nephew of James Pipe, who rang a peal here in 1816.
