The Old Peal of Bells at St Michaels, Cornhill, London

[MrUNIXman]

I heard these bells on Church Bells of England CD, not very nice bells (Old) but however the ringers at this tower did win a 12 bell Contest yesturday at Shoreditch.

[pretorium]

I rang on these 20 years ago &the first thing I thought after the first whole-pull was "smash these buggers up" so I'm glad at long last they've got something worthy to ring on,

[irkibby]

@pretorium Oh yes. I have experienced the new ones and they're fucking superb although they are having problems adjusting to a good acoustic. One thing they had to do was put a conventional clapper in the tenor as the wooden shafted one was making it sing too much.

[pretorium]

@irkibby Finally got my ring on the new bells here last Tuesday at the ASCY practice....like you say the acoustic still needs twiddling (the 10th is a bit indistinct) but a very nice job they are.

[KDowner94]

Blimey - cant wait for the new ones - any idea when they'll be ready?

[simonbellringer]

PIty theyre going to get replaced - I think they sound good, just put a rope guide in to make some of the front ones easier!!

[irkibby]

I'm kind of glad theyre being replaced. The front end are ok sounding OK but some of the bells round the back end are just plain nasty. The tenor is an AWFUL bell, and the tenth is even worse. There are far better old rings of bells in London. Southwark Cathedral for instance are a glorious heavy old ring, far better than these.

Also I'm happy because there will be some quality Taylors in London at last.

[Whittingtons]

@irkibby I think some of the front end are AWFUL as well. Just listen to 2 and 3- particularly when they're dodging in 11-12.

[simonbellringer]

@irkibby I guess... that vid of the new tenor just changed my mind!!!

[simonbellringer]

I think they sound grand, but arent they supposed to be really hard to ring?

[fartwell2000]

Not very nice and not quite easy to ring like some of the project objectors reckon.

[irkibby]

@fartwell2000

Not very nice is putting it mildly. Cannot wait for some top notch Taylors for London.

[timmeh1507]

@irkibby are you genuinely expecting today's Taylors to come up with something 'top notch'? Let's certainly hope so. I don't find these as unpleasant to listen to as you say but equally any new bells would probably be an overall improvement.

[irkibby]

@timmeh1507

I have been and rung on Cambridge, so yes, I think so. If the new Cornhill bells are as good as, or even better than, GSM Cambridge, then I willl be seriously pleased.

[timmeh1507]

@irkibby fair enough, GSM do indeed sound rather yummy. Do they compare with Taylor rings of the earlier 20th C?

[Engerlingraucher]

So, when I understand it right: all those bells will be replaced by new Taylor-Bells? Interesting. I want to have the treble. :-))

[Whittingtons]

I look forward to ringing here in November.

When the new bells are installed it will be interesting to hear them as most new 12s seem to be 25 cwt but Cornhill will be 30 cwt.