Details about bells

Introduction

At the Central Council's 2003 meeting in Llandudno, I (John Baldwin) described some preliminary work that I had undertaken to see whether there might be any way in which the database underlying Dove might be developed towards incorporating an embryonic National Bell Register ("NBR"), well recognising the fact that its contents are primarily confined to sets of three or more bells hung for British style change-ringing ("rings"). At the time I suggested that this was work which was actually wider in scope than that of a council of bell ringers and, moreover, significant in the amount of effort it would require, particularly in the context of the Council's Committee for Redundant Bells. Although the Council did as I then suggested and formally decided not to pursue it as a Council project per se, I intimated that I felt that the approach was worthy of continued effort and said I would do just that, but in a 'low key' way. The mechanisms were developed over the ensuing two years, tested, put into place, and have now been in use for some time. Further, it seemed sensible, and interesting, to embrace all rings, wherever they are in the world rather than being unduly constrained by the word "national"!

General

Thr details stored in our database are shown in a table below the details for the ring as a whole. In the (now exceptional) case where those details are not yet available, there is a 'Supply Details' link; otherwise there is normally an Edit Details link. If we do not show such a link almost certainly this will imply that we have disabled the editing capability temporarily (such as during holiday periods), or that we are in the process of building or uploading a new version of the relevant files which rarely lasts longer than 30 minutes.

A "help" page giving further information about the editing requirements can be displayed at the time the details are entered. It is also worth reading that page in order to be fully conversant with the way in which even apparently straightforward issues are handled within the pNBR.

The table shows as much of the detail that we have ascertained about each bell in the ring, either from our own resources or it having been supplied to us by the kindness of others. The source of this information is stated at the foot of the table together with an indication of the date of its most recent revision and the identity of the person from whom it originated. We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to all who have made their work and records available.

Data shown as originating from John Baldwin has been gleaned from a variety of sources such as RW articles, printed texts, tower websites, dedication service leaflets, etc, while that supplied by others is assumed to be their personal responsibility. Wherever possible we far prefer that data comes from 'primary' (such as information supplied by a founder) rather than 'secondary' sources (such as values extracted from other tabulations, and which may well contain inadvertent transcription errors). We work on the basis that it is all understood to be free from restriction of further publication (and also its incorporation into a full NBR in due course). If you believe there is a proprietary interest in what we are showing and that it should not be made generally available for some reason, please let us know your concern as soon as possible, identifying precisely the item concerned, together with an explanation of the background. Should we be convinced of any probability that we have inadvertently acquired such data we will quickly remove it from public access via this website until the situation has been clarified and any necessary 'imprimatur' received.

The file holding this data is not made available for general downloading. The rationale for this is its size (it comprises more than 45,000 records - and is over 3.5Mb in size) and its rapidly changing nature as visibility makes it open to scrutiny and correction, and, hopefully, completion.

Discrepancies with other sources

Where our attention has been drawn to other compilations of bell weights or diameters or founders, notably an appropriate 'county work' (such as Church Bells of Barsetshire), or a framed or painted board within the tower itself, we have endeavoured to be as confident as possible that the value(s) shown within this pNBR compilation are authoritative. Having achieved that level of confidence for our part, we feel that it is helpful to make it clear that we are aware that such alternative values are in the public domain and have done so by adding an appropriate 'flag' on the Details page in order to draw attention to the situation.

Bell

We list first the number of the bell within the ring following the normal conventions, working from the treble to the tenor. Where 'accidentals' occur (e.g. 2♯ or 6♭ bells in a ring of 12), they are listed after those comprising the diatonic sequence. Data on additional bells in the building will be included where we have been notified about them, and they are shown in italic font. In the few cases where the ring forms part of a larger collection of bells forming a chime or carillon, we have tried to follow local convention as to layout of this display.

Weight

Where known, the most recently recorded precise weight of the bell is shown in the traditional units as cwt-qr-lb (any fraction of a pound being rounded down). A precisely stated weight prefixed by the symbol '<' indicates that the weight shown is that before the removal of this bell's canons or before tuning and without the bell being re-weighed subsequent to that alteration.

Estimated weights are indicated in the conventional way by use of the suffix 'cwt'. It is not uncommon for an estimated tenor weight shown in the traditional Dove listings to be at variance with that shown in this new set of tabulations for the two values are usually the result of work by different individuals. We suggest that this apparent discrepancy should not be considered as derogating either estimate: where we show two such different estimates for a given tenor we have no basis for preferring one estimate to another, although as time goes by we will hopefully be able to refine those estimated weights which appear to be somewhat 'wild'.

Bell weights can be shown by user choice (but NOT edited) in metric units, or just lb, within the details table by selecting the requisite units within the search criteria.

Note and Nominal

The note shown is the 'theoretical one', relative to A=440Hz unless indicated otherwise, and assuming a diatonic ring except where we have noted the tuning as being non-standard within the standard Dove entry. For excellent introductions to, and expositions of, bell tuning, notes, and nominals, we recommend both Bill Hibbert's and Nigel Taylor's webpages. Nigel's section entitled "Church Bells", provides a comprehensive discussion of tuning and temperament while Bill's Wavanal program has brought the measurement of a bell's nominal within the capability of anyone with a good sound recorder, a personal computer, or a laptop. Another interesting contribution to the information readily available about tuning appeared from the pen of Ray Ayres in RW1983/790,812. Yet another was by Andrew Higson: RW2004/1085. Where the note shown is prefixed by an asterisk, this indicates that its note is actually more than 50 cents away from its expected value, working on the basis of international pitch and allowing for any stated variation of tuning from the diatonic sequence. It should be remembered that many rings were tuned to old pitch standards and the tenor note was expressed accordingly. Thus there have, recently, been a number of adjustments to the modern standard noted above.

We are fully aware that there may be a discrepancy (usually only of a semitone) between the tenor note shown in the "Dove entry" and that within the details tabulation. The measurement of the tenor nominal resolves any ambiguity, but it will obviously take time for this to be achieved in all cases and incorporated into our database. Until then there is no need to alert us to such an inconsistency - we can easily detect this ourselves. Further, we attempt to assess the keynote of the ring as a whole rather than relying solely upon the strike note of the tenor.

The note we show for each bell is based on the key note of the ring (usually, but not always, the tenor note) and the position of each bell within the ring. Thus, for a ring of 8 in F♯ (which has a key signature with six sharps), bell 2 is shown as E♯ and for an octave in C♯ (whose key signature has seven sharps), bell 2 is shown as B♯ and bell 6 as E♯. Usually the key of the ring is shown as it is provided to us, even when they key has more than seven sharps. For the keys of G♯, D♯, and A♯ we show some bells with a double-sharp, denoted by the 𝄪 symbol. We show just one ring (Highgate, Greater London) in a key outside these 17. These bells were tuned by Whitechapel in 2007 and, we are informed, are in the key of F♭. Where a ring has accidentals (semi-tone bells), for example 2♯, 5♯, or 6♭, we take the note value from the corresponding bell in the ring and add a sharp or a flat as applicable. Thus, bell 2♯ in a ring of 12 in C♯ is shown as F𝄪 (i.e. F double sharp), which also gives it the correct note value when used as bell 2 of the light eight (in G♯). When a ring is not tuned to a major key then we adjust the note values accordingly. Thus, for instance, where a ring of 3 in B♭ is tuned as 1,2♭,3 of a ring of 3, we add a flat to bell 2 and show the notes as B♭,C♭,D. For further background reading, try Googling 'circle of fifths'.

A bell which we know to be cracked, or fully broken and now in pieces, is shown in a line with a pink shading to the background in order to draw attention to that fact. Further it may well lack any indication of its intended note if determining that has proved to be impossible. When a bell that was previously cracked has subsequently been repaired by welding, only the diameter cell of the table is shaded pink. (For a review of experience on bell welding, see RW1983/664.)

Diameter

This is the measurement of the bell "at its lip", in inches. We have presented it to 2 places of decimals not because we believe that people can measure it to this degree of accuracy but because it has traditionally been the case that this measurement has been quoted in quarters, or even sixteenths of an inch. Anything we have been provided with to any greater precision has been rounded (usually up) to 2 decimal places.

As noted above, light pink shading of the background of this field indicates a welded bell.

Date

It has come to our attention that different workers have followed different conventions in bell dating. This may become evident when a bell is subsequently incised with a date of installation (as opposed to showing an inscribed casting date). In the absence of other reliable information (which is always helpful and worth seeking out), a cast inscription date can reasonably be assumed to be the casting date and we prefer to show that inscribed casting date in our tabulations, and moreover ask that those supplying us with data follow this convention. Our underlying database does have provision for comments and further relevant information so, please, if you come across something within reliable documentation which you feel may be pertinent, do please let us have the privilege of making the decision whether and how it should be included. Where inscription date and casting date differ (and both are known with confidence) then we prefer to show the inscription date and add a database note about the true casting date.

A 'c' (for circa) before a bell's date indicates an estimate.

An estimate may be based upon known working periods in the case of the founder being of little doubt, and in other cases from estimates provided by researchers after comparing inscription lettering and/or wording with other known examples, etc. If only an approximate century has been postulated for the casting date (such as from its shape, the profile of any moulding wires), then we have adopted the convention that the final year of that century (e.g. c1499 for a 15th century bell) is shown as the approximate date.

A bell which bears no date and for which no estimate has been made of its casting year is indicated by "(n/d)" whereas a date showing within parentheses is one suggested by a reputable researcher for the bell even though it is undated.

A 'dagger' symbol after a bell's date indicates that the bell has been identified by the Church Buildings Council (formerly the Council for the Care of Churches) as being historically important (formerly referred to as 'listed').

Founder

For more modern foundries we aim to show the name under which that foundry operated at the time of casting.

We show a founder's name even if it is only postulated that he is so and then indicated by a leading question mark. It is important to remember that we have to make a decision as to which is the most helpful founder name to show. Thus, where there is a degree of uncertainty (e.g. a bell coming from one particular foundry), it may be most helpful to show the name of the most likely founder rather than the generic title of the foundry, even though others might prefer to opt for the less specific ascription.

Errors and omissions

If you feel what is showing is incomplete or incorrect, then use the 'Edit Details' link on the tower details page to send us a correction along with an explanation. Please let us know when you are drawing on the research of others, for example, quoting the appropriate page number of a published work. Sources and any comments on the edit can be supplied in the final stage of the submission process. We'll get back to you if we have any questions.

Any data supplied to us may be retained indefinitely as part of the Dove database and may be made available for third-party use under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.