Early church bells were far more than timekeepers or calls to worship. They were widely believed to possess special properties: able to heal the sick, protect communities and ward off evil.
One of the most obscure and fascinating historical customs associated with church bells was the medieval practice of placing a bell directly on the head of someone thought to be suffering from mental illness, in the belief that it could cure them. While this understandably seems strange through a modern lens, it reflects the powerful spiritual and cultural significance once attached to bells. The expectation that a ritual might help could itself have offered comfort, reassurance and a sense of hope.
In Europe during the seventh and eighth centuries, bells were often formally consecrated by a bishop, who anointed them with oil and gave them a name. Many people believed that a baptised bell could protect a parish from evil or danger.
A famous example is the great Emmanuel bell at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. King Louis XIV and Queen Maria Theresa were invited by the cathedral to be its godparents, and the King named the bell Emmanuel.
Church bells also played an important role in national emergencies. Following the evacuation of Dunkirk in June 1940, the British Government banned the ringing of church bells across the country, reserving them solely as an alarm to alert the Home Guard and local civilians that an invasion from Germany had begun.
The bells were to be rung in reverse rounds to create an unmistakable warning. In normal rounds, bells are rung from the highest to the lowest pitch. Ringing them in reverse rounds for an extended period would therefore have sounded alarming to those who knew what it meant, while being difficult for an enemy to interpret.
Here at Tring Bell Tower, we have recently added a video link from the ringing room to the bells in the belfry above. This means that ringers can now see how the bells move when they pull the ropes.
The installation is thanks to bellringer Will, who had the idea and made it happen: “He who has the vision gets the mission!” It is especially useful for new ringers, who can sometimes find it difficult to imagine exactly how the bells above their heads are moving.
Come along on any Tuesday at 7pm to the church door — but please let us know first at:
Johanna Morgan
Tring Bell Tower