Ringing chambers, platforms and floors

click photo to enlarge

English church bell ringing of the most common variety, usually known as change ringing, began in the 1600s with one of the earliest ringing societies, the Lincoln Cathedral Guild, dating from 1612. English church bells usually number 6 or 8, though there may be be fewer or more, and are located in the bell chamber at the top of the tower. They are not struck by hammers, but have an internal clapper that strikes the bell when it is rotated by a rope attached to a wheel. Below the bell chamber there is sometimes a room known as the sound chamber. The bell ropes pass through this room, which often holds the church clock mechanism, to a ringing chamber below. Bell ringers stand in the ringing chamber to pull the ropes that sound the bells. A very long distance between the bell and the person ringing is usually avoided because the ropes stretch making control more difficult. Where the church has a west tower there are often floors dividing the chambers described above. Crossing towers, however, are frequently vaulted, though some west towers are too. Where this is the case then bells are often rung from ground level with long bell ropes, but another solution is to install a ringing platform.

Today's main photograph shows one of the most hair-raising locations for bell ringing anywhere in the country. In Pershore Abbey, Worcestershire, a platform has been constructed 72 feet above the floor of the tower. To get to their places the ringers have to climb two stone spiral staircases, pass along a walkway through the roof, then negotiate a narrow passage and finally descend an iron "cage staircase" above the void below. The latter can be seen to the right of the bottom arm of the cross in the photograph. The central square is the suspended timber ringing platform where the campanologists do their work.


The photograph of the bottom of the tower of All Saints church at Holbeach, Lincolnshire, shows a different approach to the construction of a ringing platform. Here a more substantial structure  has been constructed, supported from the floor, and doubling as the roof of a small café at the base of the tower. The fact that the tower is not too tall has made this solution possible. The etched glass doors and windows add interest to the conception. The loss of the view of the west window is regrettable but inevitable.

Today's third photograph shows what happens in a tall church tower when no ringing chamber or platform is available. The bell ropes (also called the "pull") of Croyland Abbey, Lincolnshire, are thought to be the longest in England. Apparently four sets of rope guides are necessary to keep them in the required places. Interestingly, Croyland Abbey had one of England's early tuned peals. In the early tenth century Abbot Turketyl had a great bell cast. It was named "Guthlac", after St Guthlac, the abbey's founder. Abbot Egelric (975-984) had six more made to complete the tuned peal. These were named Bartholomew, Beccelm, Turketyl, Tatwin, Pega and Bega. This YouTube video clip shows the bells of Croyland Abbey being rung.

photograph and text © Tony Boughen

Photo 1
Camera: Lumix LX3
Mode: Intelligent Auto
Focal Length: 5.1mm (24mm/35mm equiv.)
F No: f2
Shutter Speed: 1/30
ISO: 320
Exposure Compensation: -0.66 EV
Image Stabilisation: On

All Saints, Holbeach

click photo to enlarge
There's an old story about a man going round a museum and one of the attendants proudly pointing out to him the very axe that was used to behead Mary, Queen of Scots. "Of course," said the attendant, "being so ancient, the wooden shaft and the axe head have had to be replaced at various times."

A few days ago the wooden shaft of my felling axe broke as I was chopping the base and roots out of a large bush. I'd only had it thirty three years, and was expecting it to "see me out." I immediately thought of replacing the shaft, but then remembered the difficulty I'd had fixing the head of my sledge hammer on to a new shaft, consequently I thought I'd buy a new one. So, off I went to Holbeach to an old-fashioned hardware store where I'd seen a selection of axes a few months ago. I selected my axe which was much cheaper than I imagined it would be, but then wished I'd brought my old axe head because wooden axe shafts were on sale as well. Then I'd be a two-axe man - affluent or what!

For me a trip to Holbeach isn't complete without visiting the medieval church of All Saints, a much bigger building than might be expected in this small town. The unique feature of this building is the pair of drum towers that flank the porch. These are presumed to have been added at a later date, perhaps from a derelict structure, possibly a castle. Whatever their source, they have been there a long time, and give an odd appearance to the church. On the day of my visit the sun was shining brightly, and the normally dark interior was lit by shafts of light falling into the nave aisle from each clerestory window. The brilliance of these multiple spots was making the interior glow. I decided that the fourteenth century columns in the nave would rarely be seen as well as on this day, and so I composed an asymmetrical shot with the fifteenth century font in the right foreground, a stepping off point for the eye before it fastens on to the distant east window towards which the lines of columns lead. I took my photograph without a tripod.

photograph & text (c) T. Boughen

Camera: Olympus E510
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 11mm (22mm/35mm equiv.)
F No: f3.2
Shutter Speed: 1/20 seconds
ISO: 200
Exposure Compensation: -1.0 EV
Image Stabilisation: On