AtomThe Ringing of the Bells ~ 06 Mar 2010
Up and up and up we went, up the winding stone stairs. When you climb up spiral stone staircases in places frequented by tourists, they’ve made some effort to ensure that people won’t fall. This was not the case here. These stairs were raw and not well travelled so you had to take care lest you slip and pitch backwards down the stairs. By the top of the stone stairs there were only two of us willing to continue.
This was not the end of our journey. As we started to climb the second rickety old ladder held to thick wooden beams by two large nails our host said, “Getting to the top is tricky. You’ll need to pull yourself up the metal framework and then swing over to the metal beams running through the tower.” This point in the journey (swinging and jumping) was not a problem; however, going down was a leap of faith and agility.
A few moments later I was standing amongst the bells of St. Andrew’s Church (1273). We heard from a friend of a friend that there was bell ringing practice on Thursday nights and we begged to be allowed to come along. Upon arrival we met the friendliest sort of people and after chatting we were asked, “Do you want to see the bells?”
Several minutes later I was standing amongst them in the tower – each with its own name, history, and pitch. Bell 1 had the highest pitch and Bell 6 was the lowest. One was named Christopher (after the saint) with the ‘s’ backwards because the person casting the bell most likely couldn’t spell the name in 1825 when it was cast.
Then we got a very personalized history and tour of bell ringing and the study of bells (campanology) as our host prepared the bells for the evenings session.
When the ringers and tower captain started practice we marvelled at the range of sound, and the mathematical knowledge needed to make the ringing all come together in a very spirited session. The pulleys, weights, levers and physics needed to make the bells ring is also pretty impressive considering the mechanics were devised centuries ago.
My companions studied various mathematical patterns on their iPhone and attempted to work out the science behind change ringing – a practice specific to England. In change ringing the bell does a full 360 degree arc whereas in other methods the bell travels 180 degrees. For 30-minutes we watched the tower captain shout out various numerical instructions to a team of five people who all worked together to create patterns of rings. The more experienced ringers let the ropes slip and slide through their hands with ease while the less experienced held on tightly as if for dear life.
They finished the session with the tenor bell. It took the strength of two to get the bell moving and once it was swinging in a full arch one stepped back to allow the second one be pulled up and down as the bell did its arch.
« 0 comments »Full Moon Over Cambridge ~ 03 Mar 2010
Call me a bit of a romantic, but one of my favourite things to do in the evenings in Cambridge is to wander amoungst the old streets and wonder what it would have been like to live here hundreds of years ago. The Tudor/Stuart buildings with their large chimney stacks, exposed beams, and unique windows are especially romantic; I think Dickens and a Christmas Carol every time I see them.
My two favourite restaurants are the Chophouse and the Punter on Pound Hill because not only do they have great food, but I have to walk over the Great Bridge, past large Victorian Houses, and through spooky walkways and by interesting buildings to get to them (in a very roundabout way).
I was really lucky this evening because not only was it a nice walk, but there was also a full moon, which added to the charm and gave my walk a very Werewolf in London kind of feel.
The Medieval Round Church (Church of the Holy Sepulchre) ~ 02 Mar 2010
I have to admit I was very excited about seeing the Round Church (1130) in Cambridge. It is, after all, one of only four medieval round churches left in the UK; and, as soon as people start mentioning Templars, Hospitallers, and fighting monks, I think mystery, intrigue, and at least one interesting story.
There is a fair bit of argument over the origins of the church (is it Templar? is it Hospitaller?); however, given its name and the timing, it’s likely the church was built by the Brothers of the Holy Sepulchre (a.k.a. fighting monks). It started its life as a wayfarers' chapel (travellers church) and eventually became a parish church.
The entrance is very Norman with its zigzag design.
Inside are corbels decorated with faces and gargoyles. This is a common practice from medieval times. Prior to the 12th century the church encouraged respect of pagan culture and gargoyles ended up as decorations in many churches. After the 12th century people got touchy about what should be found in a church.
One such item that was often hunted down and destroyed was Roof Angels. In the 1600s, the rabid and obsessed puritan William Dowsing took it upon himself to travel the countryside and destroy all angels and other church decorations in a fit of religious zealousy.
As written in Roof Angels of the East Anglian Churches:
Dowsing took his despoiling gangs through Suffolk and Cambridgeshire from late 1643 to 1644 and was so proud of his work that he kept a diary detailing his triumphant harangues with the despairing churchwardens and listing the church contents he succeeded in smashing. Many of the Roof Angles fell victim to Dowsing’s rampage and the list makes sad reading.
The angel roof in Cambridge must have remained hidden during these raids or Dowsing was so overwhelmed by the sheer number of churches in Cambridge that needed sacking that he seemed to have missed the tiny little Round Church and it's dark Angel Roof. As such, the angels in the 15th-century chancel still exist today:
And last, but certainly not least, we have the inside dome and Romanesque arched pillars.
