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You are here: Home>Topics>Old and New>Church bells

Church bells

Church bells have been rung in Britain for centuries: the earliest known founders were working in the late thirteenth to early fourteenth centuries. How much has the sound of the bells changed over this time? How have changing manufacturing methods changed the sounds of the bells? How have the styles of ringing changed?

The earliest recording of church bells we have dates from 1962, the most recent from 2016. They are from different churches, at different times of year, with different ringers, and different recording equipment: how do they compare?

  • All Saints Church Bells, Great Chesterford, 1962

    All Saints Church Bells, Great Chesterford, 1962

    https://d19az1b8nqezvo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Gt-Chesterford-Church-Bells-SA-34.mp3
  • All Saints Church, Great Chesterford, 2016

    All Saints Church, Great Chesterford, 2016

    https://d19az1b8nqezvo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Scene_092_GreatChesterford.mp3
  • Maldon, St.Mary's Bellringers, 2016

    Maldon, St.Mary's Bellringers, 2016

    https://d19az1b8nqezvo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/R09_0355_St.Marys_Bellringers.mp3
  • Maldon, St.Mary's Church bells A, 2016

    Maldon, St.Mary's Church bells A, 2016

    https://d19az1b8nqezvo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Scene_799s_St.Marys_Maldon_A.mp3
  • Maldon, St.Mary's Church bells B, 2016

    Maldon, St.Mary's Church bells B, 2016

    https://d19az1b8nqezvo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Scene_800_St.Marys_Maldon_B.mp3
  • St. Christopher's Church, Willingale, 2016

    St. Christopher's Church, Willingale, 2016

    https://d19az1b8nqezvo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Scene_107_St.Christophers.mp3
  • Swift bells, 2016

    Swift bells, 2016

    https://d19az1b8nqezvo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Swift-bells.mp3
  • The bells of Leigh-on-Sea, 2016

    The bells of Leigh-on-Sea, 2016

    https://d19az1b8nqezvo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Bells-MP3.mp3
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