Great Paul, The heaveist bell in the UK at almost 16 3/4 tons

Great Paul is Britain's heaviest swinging Bell, It is located in the South West Tower of St Pauls Cathedral in London. It was cast by Taylors bell foundry and wieghs 16 ton 14 Cwt.
The bell rings at 1pm every day. It is now Electically rung but can remember it being rung manually. I believe the largest manaully rung bell is Great Peter of York Minister.

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[captaincook71]

Why does it ring everyday?

[topshed34a]

@captaincook71

That is a good question to which I do not know the answer. I can only think it is rung out of tradition more than anything else.

One of the comments states that it hasn't been rung for years due to an electro mechanical problem but this I cant confirm as I live in Sydney.

[peckishere]

The website for st pauls cathederal says that the bell hasnt been sounded for several years due to a broken timing mechanism. Im confused :s

[topshed34a]

@peckishere That may well be the case. I took this video in 2000 so whether it sounds in 2012 O cant say.

All I know that it was always rung straight after the 1pm hour bell had struck.

[179178]

And how many bell ringers does it take to get this thing rocking? (Bet they go for a ride on the rope!)

[topshed34a]

@179178

The bell is no longer rung manually but electrically

I saw it rung in 1963 and it was rung by 4 ringers . Ringers do not swing on ropes that is only Hollywood rubbish. The heaviest manually rang bell in the UK is Great Peter of York Minister weighing 10 tons.

Many of these bells can be rung single handed because the head stock of the bell i counterbalanced which is why the bell rings very slowly

Check out the video of Hosanna of Buckfast Abbey that is 7.5 ton

[NiallMS]

I wonder what the clapper weighs?!

[moulis222]

woow

[simonbellringer]

@ANDREWLEONARDSMITH With pulleys, ropes and chains, strength of a bull and great determination!!!

[larsruben1]

Die klok moet dringend aan een rechte as met vliegende klepel worden gehangen, want dan luidt hij sneller en gaat de klok minder snel kapot.

[simonbellringer]

When we used to go to London we used to stay in a Youth Hostel which was the old St Pauls Cathedral Choir School I think. We could hear the clock chiming all through the night and hear this beaity striking. A fine tone it has!!! Pity it is so quiet outside, but there we go!!