The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-01-03
English Bell.Ringing.

varying from five to dozen, which
last is the greatest number that has yet
been hung in a steeple. When the high
est note-the treble BELLS sounded
first, and followed by the consecutive
notes until the deepest or "tenor" bell
is struck, the bells are said to be rung
in rounds"
The fascination which this art has for
its followers is shown by the fact that
all the great performances in ringing
have been undertaken solely for the
honor accorded to such feats. When a
peal of 5000 changes is attempted. it
is considered of no account unless it is
true" The requirements are some-
what exacting. If the same change
should occur twice, through an error
of the composer, it is false" peal.
The ringing must be completed with
out stop or hitch; and, as at any time
during the three hours that will proba-
bly, be occupied, ringer may lose his
way, and cause the others to be con-
fused, "jumble OUT will probably
ensue; the conductor may miss a "call," !"
which is required to carry the changes
to the length required, or may make
one too many; a man may miss his rope
and send his bell over the balance; or a
rope may break. Thus, until the last
change of appeal is struck, it is never
safe for the ringers to congratulate
themselves upon its performance.
Nowadays long peals are only con-
sidered as feats when the same men
only one man to each bell-ring
throughout the peal. When peal of
great length is attempted there is,
therefore, cause to fear that at the last
moment one of the men at the "heavy
end,n as the bells near the tenor are
called, may give out. For instance, in
ringing according to Stedman's princi
plea very complicated method, on
eleven hells-the peal of 1892 changes
rung in 1848 in four hours and fifty-fve
minutes at ST. Martins, Birmingham,
where the tenor bell weighs thirty-tive
hundred-weight, continued the "long-
est on record' until 1851, when it was
beaten by the College Youths, a very
old established London society of ring
ers, who rang 1924 changes in five
hours and twenty-four minutes at st.
Giles, Crippleg lte, where the tenor
weighs thirty-six hundredweight. The
Cumberland Youths, another old Lon
don society, thereupon tried to beat
this performance by ringing 8,184
changes st st. Michael's, Cornhill, the
tenor of which rings weighs forty
one hundred-weight. On the first
occasion they "jumbled out" aft
er ringing nearly six Thousand
changes; and Mt subsequent
attempt rang six hours and two min
utes, but were then SO used up that
they could not finish the peal, and were
compelled to stop when they had rung
7,746 changes. Now, although this
was longer than the peal rung by the
College Youths, it was an incomplete
performance, not being continued until
the bells returned to the order of
rounds, which they would have done
at the 8,1S4th change. The Cripple
gate peal was at last beaten by peal
of 8, 448 changes, rung in 1858, at Pains
wick in Worcestershire. Although the
tenor of the ring of twelve at Painswick
only weighs twenty-eight hundred
weight the College Youths actually at
tempted to beat this length at st.
Saviour's Southwark, where the tenor
weighs fifty-two hundredweight. They
were, however, unsuccessful, as after
ringing over 5000 changes in six
hours and half, they got into
"jumble," and thus most remarkable
feat was lost, and considered of no ac-
count, when another half-hour would
have completed a performance which
might never have been excelled. In
their next attempt the College Youths
were more fortunate, as on April "a,
1861, they rang at st. Michears, Corn.
hill, in six hours and forty-one minutes,
peal of $3.50 changes of Stedman's
Cinques, which still remains the longest
length rung in this method on eleven
bells.-C Chambers Journal