At all times when it may be desired to produce a good performer upon any musical instrument, it is well that he should understand the instrument itself; for just as the driver who understands his steam engine thoroughly in its parts and details, is the man who can work it best, so is it with the ringer with his bell in the steeple or tower. It is not at all difficult to picture the scene, surroundings, and thoughts of an intended ringer, upon his first visit to the bell-tower, or ringing chamber, unless it be as has been the experience of many, as well as that of the writer, to learn to pull the rope and catch the sally when a boy at school on the large school-bell, or that at the parish church. And even then, if not in the midst of an octave of ropes, the dancing of the rope upon which he had to start or practice was, at first sight, perplexing; graceful, however, if handled well, but yet a mystery.

Presuming that the reader desires to become a ringer, to understand his instrument, and for this purpose has ascended the tower—has passed the ringing room with a glance, and has made up his mind to know the why and wherefore of the bells and fittings, so that if anything goes wrong in the practice or performance he may be able to set it right if possible or remedy any defect—he will go at once to the bell cage, and learn (as was the writer’s first lesson) the names of the parts and fittings of the bell, where such an arrangement will be seen as is shown by the following illustration, to which is added the names of each part. Everyone may know what a church bell is like in form, and the purpose for which it is founded; but not so can it be said of its various parts and appurtenances. In order to help the reader in this direction, the following sketch will answer for reference. With the shadow it is easy to realize or imagine the fact, and to conceive that we are facing the bells in the tower, where each is fitted, as the sketch shows, separately, and by the numbers and references the names of the parts can be easily learnt.

In giving a description of the bell and its fittings, for all ordinary purposes, it is not necessary to go into details as to the best proportion or shape, for that is so well understood by founders of any note or excellence, and as it is all so well treated in other writings, here it would be superfluous. The following, however, will always be found useful for reference:—

• No. 1 represents that part called the Head of the bell, which is varied in form under various circumstances, sometimes being what is known by the name of button or mushroom head, at others by canon head, or as is shown. The most frequently used are the crown head or with canons.
• No. 2. The shoulder.
• No. 3. The waist.
• No. 4. The sound bow.
• No. 5. The lip.
• No. 6. The clapper.
• No. 7. The stock (a wood beam to which the bell is hung).
• No. 8. The gudgeons or axles (of wrought iron turned, upon which the bell swings).
• No. 9. The bearings (of gun metal, in which gudgeons work).
• No. 10. The wheel (of wood, which acts as a lever to set the bell in motion).
• No. 11. The shrouding (the guard of the wheel to keep the rope in its place on the sole).
• No. 12. The slider (a piece of wood working on a centre to support the stay).
• No. 13. The stay (a piece of wood attached to the stock to support bell when set).
• No. 14. The rope.
• No. 15. The pulley or rope guide.
• No. 16. The wheel stay (an iron rod or rods fastened between the stock and wheel, to support or steady the wheel, not shown).
• No. 17. The sally (not shown, but a soft tufting near the bottom end of the rope. See cut of Bells at Hand Stroke, page 15).

The particular name of each part will also be found to be described very fully in “Banister’s Change Ringing,” and in the Rev. H. T. Ellacombe’s “Practical Remarks on Belfries and Ringers,” which should be perused on this subject.

Now having learnt this lesson, the next would be that which was taught by the older bell boys to the writer at school, viz., to grease the bearings; to take up or let out the rope, as occasion might require, for a taller or shorter person, taking notice of how it is, or should be fastened to the wheel, and passed through the pulley; then look to the slider and stay, to see if sound and in order, so to leave all tight and trim and ready for ringing, and then, as one of the tutors in the art was in the ringing room ringing, the scholar was so placed in the belfry as to see, and have it explained to him by another companion, how that the slider and stay were needed to set the bell at the hand or back strokes; how the rope danced, and needed catching below at the sally, to prevent the breakage of either the slider or stay, if not so caught. By this at once understanding, by optical demonstration and friendly counsel, the object and use of all that pertains to the bell, as well as the reason for setting it up.

With this fairly in the mind, it will be well at once to turn the attention to ringing, which, perhaps, will explain in part as we proceed, the use of the former remarks as to the application of the parts or fittings sufficiently, for cases where a tutor cannot be found in person.