To Ringers, Incumbents and Churchwardens
Guidance Notes on Best
Practice for Bell
Ringing
in Towers of the Derby Diocesan
Association
The first of the stated objectives of the Association is ‘To promote
ringing for Divine Service’ and the fifth is ‘To extend the appreciation of
bell ringing among the public’. It is
towards the achievement of these objectives that these guidance notes on best
practice are set down and commended to ringers. - Ringing before the service as a call to
prayer, followed by ringing afterwards as a mark of celebration at the happy
couples blessing of marriage.
- In towers where bells are left down
ringers should assemble half and hour before the service to give time to ring
up and adjust ropes where necessary.
- Suitable arrangements to be made for
signalling the arrival of the bride to the ringers, and for ringing as the
couple leave.
- A minimum of 15 minutes ringing before
service and not less than 10 after. If
the bells are very noisy in the area where the wedding party are outside then
consideration should be given to keeping the period short.
- When brides are late then ringing should
be continuous for 10 minutes after the declared service time. When the bride arrives she should still be
rung up the path to the church door. A
shorter ring after the service is justifiable.
- Fees should be disbursed to the ringers
at the service. Note that by agreement
and local practice some bands assign fees to specific purposes rather than be
directly received by the ringers. Where
this occurs no extra or stand-in ringer should be expected to do the same but
should receive the normal fee.
- Quality of striking should be the
objective, demonstrating the professional competence of the band and providing
ringing that may well be recorded and subsequently commented upon. To this end a weak change ringing band would
be best advised to ring call changes, even a competent change ringing band
would be advised to ring call changes as the bride arrives. Musical changes such as Queens, Whittingtons
and Tittums would feature prominently in the rows. If ringing starts half an hour before service
then it may be acceptable in the earlier period to try a touch within the
band’s competence but not well within.
- Where ringers are either visible or
audible by the congregation then care needs to be taken that ringers’ behaviour
does not bring the art into disrepute.
- Ringing would not normally start for the
exit of the couple until they have reached the outer door of the church
(thereby allowing those inside to enjoy any exit music whilst the couple
process to the door).
- After ringing the ringers should leave as
discreetly as possible avoiding being in the way of the wedding party and the
photography.
- Requests to photograph the ringers in
action should be welcomed. Weddings can
be an opportunity to promote the art so be as helpful to enquirers as possible
consistent with safety and providing the necessary ringing.
- Some towers by custom and practice ring
only at the end of the service. Where
this is the case couples should be made aware of this and fees should be
comparably lower to reflect the shorter time commitment.
Ringing for Sundays and other services - Many of the same considerations as for wedding ringing.
- The essential task here is to ring as a
call to worship. Ensure that sound
moderators are off so that bells can heard to maximum effect.
- The situation is slightly less strict
regarding ringing quality than for a wedding though quality is still the
target, especially in the 15 minutes or so prior to the service.
- A tolling bell is recommended for a few
minutes leading up to the appointed service time. (Sometimes referred to as the
hurry-up bell).
- If bells are to be lowered then the best
band available should stand in for the lower.
A ringer not included in the band for lowering might be invited to take
over the tolling for service.
- Where ringers are not staying to service
and need to leave via an area visible to the congregation, it is recommended
that they wait quietly and discreetly until the first hymn is underway then all
leave together.
Practice Nights - Quite a different set of considerations from service ringing, almost
the reverse.
- Only use sound moderators or simulators
on the regular practice night where special problems exist. It should be
expected locally that the bells are rung regularly once a week other than on
Sundays and at weddings. Ringers need to
learn to hear the bells in normal ringing.
- Teaching single bell handling may be done
throughout the practice though it is best done at a pre-practice or other
session when the bell clapper may be tied, and where available a simulator
employed, to minimise local annoyance.
- Ringers should be ready to stand in
whenever the ringing master asks for ringers.
Any delay in commencing to ring reduces the productivity of the practice
night.
- Learners that have studied a particular
method should let the ringing master know what they are hoping to ring (they
may not get it but it all helps to best organise the evenings ringing).
- Method learners should study during the
week what they hope to ring on practice night.
Sorry, but is a bit like school homework!
- Ringing masters have a difficult task
balancing the needs of each ringer with the competence of the rest of the
ringers present so cooperate and let your suggestions and responses be as
positive as possible.
- Practice night relies on competent
ringers turning up so their interests have to be catered for with at least one
touch employing them ringing a more demanding method. This will retain their interest and hopefully
demonstrate to the rest what good striking sounds like.
- Ringing would not normally continue past
9pm, in Derbyshire the majority of practice nights are between 7.30pm and 9pm.
Please leave feedback to Rev’d Clive Thrower for improvements
and extensions to these notes by email to clive@thrower.org.uk or post to
Longstone House, 5 Vernon Green, Bakewell DE45 1DT. |
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