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They're not that ghastly - they're just not a prime Taylor ring, which sticks out in this City! Tenor is a touch flat, and the treble isn't a particularly good bell, but they work OK as a six. They have colour, granted!

@@simonbellringer I think it’s more so the fact that there are so many excellent rings in York that make them seem worse than they are!

Robert Dalton bells cast 1789 according to doves guide

Well they certainly aren't Simpson tuned bells, they do have character and in ,anyway ways they make you appreciate even more the sound of harmonically tuned bells

Too right! Only fair God’s own county are the home to the best bells 😉 I thoroughly enjoyed ringing here - they are a fairly well-kept secret 🙂

@@Ringer_Fran there does seem a high number of top quality Taylor 8s from the prewar period in Yorkshire Skipton is another one of those perfect peals. Seeing as I moved to Australia in 1972 there is a fine 1946 Taylor 8 in Adelaide at 40cwt

Tut tut, on your phone at dinner I see 😜

They really don't! They're a heavy 12 in the same key, and that's about it. Exeter are a mixture of older and newer bells, are not as clear inside, and have a heavier (but, in my opinion, less powerful) tenor. York were all cast as a set, when Taylors were at their best. I like both rings - they are just not that comparable, and are two very different peals of bells!....

Thanks Steve, I thought you might enjoy listening in and I am glad you did! Hopefully, the description gives you enough of a flavour of the fascinating history of bells in the tower (sadly, space constraints prevented me from adding any more, and there was much more I could have written in!...). York Minster are certainly well-served on CZcams, lots of easily available listening material for you 🙂

​@@simonbellringerthanks for the history of the previous bells. I do think they are the finest sounding ring and of course the tower itself is part of the instrument

Thanks Steve - they are a smashing "light" 6/8/10!... my next video also comes from the Minster, and the description will include a comprehensive history of the bells. You pre-empted my next move nicely! 😄

@@simonbellringer thanks Simon, this will be good. Let's be honest a 24 cwt 10 is a pretty decent 10 regardless. St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney has a light front 10 around 15 cwt and they are such a sweet 10

Aye, it's the 6b (says so in the description) - the red sally for exactly that reason. These are the back 6 of the middle 8 (using the 9th as the tenor) 🙂

As a set in their own right, the middle eight easily compete with the likes of Howden, Skipton, et al - I don't think they're quite as good, but as a six these are *chef's kiss*

I don't know how often the other six-bell combinations (3-8, or 0-5) are rung, I'd argue probably even less. Either way, it was a treat - I love a big six, and these are superb!

@@simonbellringer I think out of those three, the one featured in this video is the only one I’ve not rung, or seen any recording of. Can remember when we rang down the back 10, and the back 4 faded out even the front 6 then sounded amazing!

Don't think I've rung the other middle six, but have rung the small'uns a couple of times. Couldn't not take the opportunity to film these this morning (slowly working my way round recording all the combinations!) - they are smashing :-)

@@simonbellringer Would love to see one of a lower some day! I wish I recorded it when we rang the B12. It’s just asking people that puts me off! Never seen a video of them lowering, so if you have one that isn’t YT worthy, please send it to me!!

@@harrybellringer believe it or not, I think that's the only time I've actually ever lowered the bells here - I've always been away when they've needed to come down otherwise 😂

Ah - the term "unringable" means unsuitable for being rung full-circle (like the bells are in almost every other video on my channel). Chiming - like we are doing here - is OK, but the fittings wouldn't support the bells swinging too high. 🙂

@@simonbellringer ok.

So for an example they wouldn’t be able to ring on a sunday service or wedding.

@@user-ym9cu5xt1w they could be chimed, or sounded, like we are doing here. They just couldn't be rung in the full-circle manner that many English bells are.

@@simonbellringer does it cost money for a church to get new bells.

Yes - great to ring and quite sweet in their own little way 🙂

See, I disagree; I prefer Skipton - they are much better inside and just much more enjoyable to ring and listen to from the ringers' perspective, IMHO (Howden admittedly probably edge them outside, though). Two wonderful eights in their own right, and very little to choose between!...

@simonbellringer Definitely a matter of personal opinion. For me I preferred the internal sound of Howden's tenor over Skipton. However, Skipton are obviously an extremely fine 8 too

Both Skipton and Westbuty are brilliant. What about Westbury. Less be honest, the back 8 at Maidstone are sensational.

@@Steven_Rowe Westbury are my favourite eight, hands down. But they're in a completely different weight category to these, and it's an unfair comparison. Ah, so many great eights out there!...

@simonbellringer I take your point. I really like 8s around the the ton mark. I love Westbury because it has the classic tenor drone. I also love St James Clerkenwell, a fabulous peal of Gilletts

We had an hour here - and it was the easiest tower booking I've ever made, had a response within half an hour! Peals and longer lengths I understand are difficult (and in fairness the bells are excruciatingly loud outside, so I can understand the need to limit somewhat). Would definitely not say no to a peal here at some point, mind!...

@@simonbellringer That’s a surprise - I’ve heard it’s a completely different matter, and that the tower captain doesn’t allow “pleasure ringing on Sundays” 🧐

@@Ringer_Fran except our "pleasure ringing" was on a Tuesday! 😂 Maybe that is the case - I genuinely don't know, maybe I just got him on a good day 😜

Yes - it's pretty regular on the agenda, especially as it's been the method for the last two National 12-Bell Competitions. I don't film that much there usually, but will certainly try to if a suitable opportunity arises!...

@@simonbellringer have you ever been to any of the churches with bells in Manchester.

@@user-ym9cu5xt1w yes - a few of them (including the Cathedral and Salford, but not yet the Town Hall). Don't think I've filmed much or anything whenever I've been though.

They really don't! They're in the same key, and that's about it. Exeter are a mixture of older and newer bells, are not as clear inside, and have a heavier (but, in my opinion, less powerful) tenor. York were all cast as a set, when Taylors were at their best. I like both rings - they are just two very different peals of bells!....

Yes, it was!

Most important bell in the tower, as perhaps you may have seen on the Bradfield mini ring 🙃

A light on in the belfry - you can see the tenor swinging if you look closely

@@simonbellringer oh right

@@simonbellringer the oldest bell is the 3rd

Excellent! A £90k project to rehang and retune the bells has just been completed, and they are a huge improvement. First peal and quarter peal on them both rung this afternoon, during the village's Festival of Bells to celebrate 🙂

New a lot of things - they've just been rehung and tuned. The 3rd is an old Rudhall bell so there was only so much they could tune it (if anything, the 5th - a modern bell by Bond of Burford - is even worse). Whatever their faults, they are a vast improvement on what they were before.... video elsewhere on my channel 😊

90k of work here - frame sat into new foundation, a rewire, front 7 tuned, new fittings throughout, new floors and ringing room improved. They are a lovely ring of bells and the recording perhaps doesn't do them all justice. As Simon E says, the 3rd is a 1685 casting and is listed for preservation. It has a slight tonal difference but it's very minor. The locals are delighted with these bells - the restoration works have exceeded expectations. I assume though that your comment indicates a track record in bell restoration and expert knowledge. You will therefore understand how to negotiate with the Church Buildings Council for its removal (it's listed for preservation), make a case for a faculty to remove, convince the PCC to spend 20 on a new bell for very marginal gain, and then project manage and pay for it. It's easy to stand at the sides and carp, but it requires skill to actually project manage complex projects such as this. Perhaps if you have nothing positive to say, saying nothing might be wiser.

Yes, the third might not be the best bell in the world. But when it comes to retuning old bells, there is only so much the bell hangers can do to make them better. From this recording, they are a lovely eight!

@simonridley6609 I do like the way that 3rd sounds as it gives it character to the ring and in was just wondering why it sounded like that after being retuned, and now I know.

The new 4th however is lovely, really brightens them up.