A suggested Press Release for ringing to mark the Queen's Jubilee - if appropriate please
include details of any significant local ringing arrangements.
A Ringing Endorsement
'Look to, Treble's going - Treble's gone!' A swish of ropes and a rattle of pulleys
follows this command and the sound of the bells bursts forth, initially in descending
cadence then in a regular changing order. Some experienced and highly skilled bands
will ring a full peal (typically on eight bells this will take approximately three hours
and consist of at least 5000 different sequences) while others will choose to ring for
perhaps 30 - 40 minutes. All however will want to produce the best possible sound to
mark a special weekend of celebration.
It is a well established tradition that church bells are rung to mark significant state
occasions and bell ringers across the country are busy making plans to add their own
particular sound to the celebrations of the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers, founded in 1891, is the representative body
for all who ring bells in the English tradition with rope and wheel. Although the Central
Council is just over 100 years old, many of its constituent societies are much older,
the oldest being formed in 1637 during the reign of Charles 1. The Council is encouraging
its members to arrange special ringing at some time over the first weekend in June: it is
expected that the bells will be rung to coincide with local celebrations, special Church
services and also before and after the National Service of Thanksgiving on Tuesday 4th June.
There are over 40,000 active ringers in the United Kingdom and more than 5250 churches
with five or more bells hung in the uniquely English style which enables the traditional
art of change-ringing to be practised. This tradition stretches back several hundred years
and many of the methods (tunes) rung in June 2002 will be the same as those heard in
centuries past.
