Great Tom, Oxford

Ringing the Great Bell of Christ Church, Oxford. Great Tom - 124-2-0 (6.25 tonnes) cast 1680 by Christopher Hodson. Rung on the occasion of the visit of the Queen to Christ Church in May 2006

Category:

Music

Tags:

• bell
• oxford
• great
• tom
• christ
• church
• ringing

[pal05pmajor3]

I see whats it like to ring a bell like that?

[simonbond]

You basically stand on the end of the rope and pull pretty hard, not a lot of technique involved.

[timjfoot]

It's harder than it looks.

To ring that bell in particular, it seems as though the feel of the tension in the rope is difficult to judge.

Also, is there no sally?

[simonbond]

It's not difficult at all. You just have to pull. There is no sally as there is no handstroke. The garter hole is at the very top of the wheel and the bell cannot swing high enough for this to get round to the ground pulley.

[pal05pmajor3]

why whats wrong with the hand stroke

[simonbond]

There is no handstroke.

[Cindermakers]

It's a lovely bell

[WrongAndHome]

@pal05pmajor3 The bell's too heavy to get swinging up to handstroke and it has an arched headstock so it swings very slowly.

[ngty2650]

This is intresting. Do you know what its like in the first stairwell? Id like to find out.

[simonbellringer]

@simonbond What a great experience, and a fantastic sound!!

I take it the bell gets about 1/8 - 1/4 up, so its like ringing that far up only with no coils and no handstroke pull?

[darrowby1972]

@xiTzBaSiiCz - erm.... how quaint!

[xiTzBaSiiCz]

My name is tom and i live in oxford .. and i can ring church bels

what a coincidence lol1

[Koseiko2008]

As a ringer myself (change ringing) what is the situation here. Can anyone interested ring this bell )or is itonly for students et al? Please if anyone should know please let me know.

I expect to cross back to Europe soon (I am "stuck" in San Francisco for the moment). No, unfortunately, there is not one ring of bells in California! Thanks!

Cheers!

[KnightGarter]

I love those old wooden stairs..!