Change Ringing

When you think of church bells, you may imagine those that play a familiar song or hymn. But since the 17th century, another form of bell ringing has played an important role in Anglican worship. Called change-ringing bells, the music they make may not be familiar melodies, but if you listen carefully, the music they make is rhythmic and complex.

Change-ringing bells are more common in England than in North America; Immanuel's bells are among only 41 sets.

The Bells
Change-ringing bells come in a "ring" or set of bells. A ring usually consists of between 4 and 12 bells; rings smaller than 8 are rare in North America. The bells in a ring vary in size, with the smaller bells having a higher pitch, and the larger a more deep sound. They are hung in frames that allow them to swing through 360 degrees. Attached to each bell is a wooden wheel with a rope running around it. The bells ring with their mouths "up" at the top arc of their flight. They are controlled by a ringer, who pulls a rope to swing the bell through a full circle until they are in the upward position again.

The bells are arranged in the frame so that the ropes hang in a circle in the ringing chamber below – this is where the ringers stand. The ropes have a brightly colored sally, or piece of brightly colored wool, woven into them that show the ringer where they must catch the rope while ringing.

Ringing
It can take up to two seconds for a bell to rotate to the up position again. This makes them unsuitable for playing melodies or hymns. However, the bells can be made to follow one another in order, each ringing once before the first rings again. This is what is known as change ringing: ringing the bells in precise orders that are mapped out using rows of numbers. No bell moves more than one place in each row at a time, creating specific rhythms or patterns.

Methods and Peals
In order to ring a different row with each pull of the rope, ringers have come up with orderly systems of changing pairs, known as methods. Ringing a method means beginning with a round and then changing the rings without repeating any row along the way before returning to the same round at the end. The more bells involved, the longer the bells can ring without repeating a row.

Experienced ringers will sometimes ring peals, which are 5000 or more methods without breaks. Peals usually last about 3 hours, and my be rung for special occasions, for example, a funeral.

Inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.

– Isaiah 12:6