Half Muffled Bells
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This is how the bell is half muffled. A leather tie is secured to one side the clapper to reduce the noise to a minimum. Usually only done for Rememberance Sunday, New Years Eve and sometimes for funerals.
At New Year St. Giles usually try to ring the old year out muffled and then after midnight ring the new year in open and joyfully. Even if it does keep the neighbours awake! |
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How it sounds
See the link below to hear the bells in action with the half muffles in place.
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Fully and Deeply Muffled Bells
The bells are occasionally fully muffled for mourning but the largest bell is always left only half muffled. This is still not common the last time this was done at Nether Whitacre was when the band rang a special quarter peal to celebrate the life of HRH Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 2002. The only time the bells are completely muffled with no open stroke at all is reserved solely for when the Monarch of England dies. The only time that most ringers have even heard this was with the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. We rang fully muffled on the day of her death on the 8th September. The bells were then deeply muffled for the rest of the national mourning period and the bells were formally rung deeply muffled immediately after the state funeral of our late Queen on the 19th September.
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Late Night Ringing
Interestingly the bells are allowed to be rung late at night for the two special events of the year both at Christmastide. Firstly the midnight communion service is celebrated with the bells calling the world to welcome and celebrate Christs birthday and secondly the New Year is ushered in by the sorrowful mourning of the year just gone and the joyous welcome the unfettered bells ring out to the world just after midnight.
