This is a previous article featured.
This is an article on mini-rings, which you may have heard of or had a go on.
The art of mini-ringing is not that much different to tower bell ringing. OK, the bells are about 80% smaller than tower bells, but the principal is still the same, just in miniature.
The difference in weight between the treble and the tenor of mini-rings is minimal. The main difference (obviously) is that the tenor's note is lower than
the treble's, but that's it.The difference in weight is usually only a couple of pounds.
The way in which the bells are hung is only slightly different to tower bells, the differences being that the bells have to be counter balanced. Most mini-rings
don't have stays, due to the fact that they are broken so easily. The way in which they are rung is similar to the way which you ring tower bells, except that you don't have a stay,
they're very light (you don't pull) and you ring each stroke single handed. (i.e. one hand for handstroke, one hand for backstroke)
The featured mini-ring is 'The Harecroft Mini-Ring'.
The Tower
This is the 'tower', but is more homely, (it has carpets, painted walls and heating).
It could be described as a summerhouse, with the bells housed in their frames on the roof.
This is ontop of the tower, looking across the frames of 3,4,7, and 8.
Handstroke: One hand on the sally, the other with the rope looped
around the wrist. Backstroke:The hand with the rope looped round.
Double Handling: Is easier on mini-rings than on tower bells, mainly because they're lighter.
These are the details of the bells. The bells were cast by Matthew Higby and Richard Bowditch in Somerset 1995.
This page was last updated on 12/7/02