Old Cumbria Gazetteer - church bells, Cumbria: GentsMag 1829


included in:-	church bells, Cumbria
	church bells, Cumbria: GentsMag 1829
evidence:-	old text:- Gents Mag item:- bellringing; Methodists; fairs; morris dancing
source data:-	Magazine, The Gentleman's Magazine or Monthly Intelligencer or Historical Chronicle, published by Edward Cave under the pseudonym Sylvanus Urban, and by other publishers, London, monthly from 1731 to 1922. goto source Gentleman's Magazine 1829 part 2 p.501 "London, Nov." "Mr. URBAN," "THERE is, I am grieved to find, a spirit methodistically set against Fairs, Wakes, Morris-dancing, Maying, Bell-ringing, and all old English sports and pastimes, without distinction. These innocent amusements are worthy of some respect, were it only because they were the delight of our ancestors of the olden time, who were certainly as well meaning and orderly people as their posterity." "Being a lover of the noble science of Campanology, and knowing that it is not only healthful and tranquillizing to those who are its students, but has a most enlivening and joyous effect on all who can appreciate the sweet undulating melody, I am concerned to observe a strong desire in some quarters to 'put down' this truly national and Christian recreation. I have rung in many a peal, and can safely say, that I never found my companions ought but good fellows, and had any one of them been in an unpleasant humour when he came to the pull, he never failed to be in good spirits when he retired, nay the village itself became more hilarious as the peal increased in its intricate chimes." "England has been for ages justly famous for the art, from which in former times it was denominated 'the Bell-ringing country,' an appellation that I trust it will still continue to deserve, maugre the heartless enemies of tinnulous melody. Meantime I cannot refrain from saying somewhat in defence of this innocent and scientific amusement; for I view the hostility to this appropriate and almost sole use of the steeple, as an insidious attempt on the Church itself. Enemies to this diversion appear, indeed, not to be confined to the present day; for in the curious work entitled 'Campanalogia,' published in the time of Charles II. it is regretted that, 'many malicious aspersions were cast upon this diverting, ingenious, harmless, and healthful art, by partial and extrajudicial persons;' but in this advanced state of society it is discovered that ringing the bells shakes not only the steeple but the whole fabric of the church, and adjacent buildings; and St. Mary le Bow, with her celebrated bells, dear to all natives of the land yhent Cockayne, is silenced without a peal. To be sure the 'rocking of the steeple' may not be very agreeable to its near neighbours. Those sensitive people who are unable to bear a slight vibration are much to be pitied, in being still subjected to the grating noise and heavy incessant rattling of some thousand carriages. Alas! I have heard, when the world had not the light afforded by the high civilization of the present age, that when the tower shook it proved the goodness of the masonry, the walls being well cemented, solid, and all of a piece as it were, but these were old-fashioned notions. I, however, should like to know whether a tower was ever actually pulled down by ringing the bells?"
source data:-	goto source Gentleman's Magazine 1829 part 2 p.502 "This much I do know, that where Acts of Parliament have been obtained for rebuilding some churches, the chief reason assigned has been 'the ruinous and dangerous state of the tower;' yet when proceeding to pull down the fabric, the same tower has been found in best repair, although the most ancient part, and in some cases has actually been allowed to stand rather than the expence and trouble of removing so firm a mass should be incurred! This, I believe, is the case with Mitcham in Surrey, where the tower is left in a most awkward position by the chancel wall." "An old author says of the English, that when they get together and become merry, 'they are wont to adjourn to some neighbouring church, and ring a merry peal,' surely an unobjectionable mode of divertisment. Most of us know that bells were in early ages, as they are still, I believe, in Catholic countries, baptised and consecrated with much ceremony, and dedicated to some particluar saint, for a curious account of all which Stell's 'Beehive of the Roman Church,' 1580, may be consulted. The tolling of a bell had powerful effects. It kept the spirits of darkness from assaulting believers; it dispelled thunder, and prevented the Devil from molesting either the church or congregation, and hence the bells were rung with due ardour and devotion, in time of storm. To insure these valuable services many, in the 'dark ages,' were induced to bequeath property for the support of favourite bells, which could be rung at their funeral to the discomfiture of the arch fiend, whose attempts to get possession of the deceased's soul were paralyzed by the hallowed sound; and to what purpose, can you inform me, are the funds devoted, if the terms of the bequest are not complied with?" "Old bells have generally inscriptions detailing their wonderful properties. We are first informed to what Saints they were dedicated, and then we are reminded of the less important duties: 'sabbata pango, funera plango, solemnia chango.' Since we have been emancipated from the 'damnable doctrine and heresy' of Popery, to be sure we have no such veneration for bellringing, but there are occasions on which it would be grievously vexatious, both to the performers and the public, if the exercise was interdicted, and the exhilerating harmony of treble bobs, grandsire bobs,' or any sort of bobs from 'Cripplegate chorus,' to 'St. Dunstan's doubles,' were no longer to be heard. Many anecdotes of bellringers might be related, and many stories illustrative of the beneficial effect of this 'very delightful and pleasing exercise;' but I fear I have already intruded myself too far, and shall conclude with a few short extracts from the work to which I have referred. 'While other sports,' says the enthusiastic campanologist, are 'unaccompanied by melody, nothing can yield a more pleasant and harmonious sound than eight or ten merry bells, well rung by ringers well skilled and practised. There have been,' he continues, 'many noble and ingenious persons that have been very ambitious and desirous of attaining a knowledge in the art, and, moreover, at this time, to our certain knowledge, there are several learned and eminent persons, both clergy and laymen, of good estates, that are members of several societies of ringers, inhabiting within this city, and think themselves very much respected and highly favoured, that they can attain so great a happiness and honour. Nor is it less esteemed and admired by foreigners, who have acknowledged that in all parts, wherever they have been, the like is not known; and therefore they have named England 'the ringing country.' This we hope will satisfy the judicious, that the scandalous aspersions cast upon this art are erroneous, and malicious, and that other exercises are not in the least to be compared with it, because not so artful, or requiring so thoughtful and ingenious a head-piece.'" "L." the subject is continued with a list of interesting bells - none in Cumbria.

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