The Fun with Bells cream tea debate rages on in this episode as host Cathy Booth’s quizzes Cornish ringer Owen Borlase -  but there’s much more to this interview than cream and jam.

Call change ringing in Cornwall is seen as an art in its own right and Owen is clearly championing the cause through his promotion of call change peals, the book he co-wrote and his success in getting this unique style of ringing recorded.

How does a call change peal work? Helpfully Owen describes the maths involved in very simple terms and explains to Cathy how he goes about composing some of the call change peals that feature in the book.

And if you’re the competitive kind they have it all in Cornwall  – rounds competitions, call change competitions and method ringing competitions. So if you’re an up-country ringer why not travel south to find out more!


Links

• Truro Diocesan Guild of Ringers 
• Ringing Down ‘ere’ by John A Purdey and Owen J Borlase

Top five takeaways

• There’s room in bell ringing for all sorts of skills – if maths is your thing have you thought about having a go at composing?
• Touches, quarter peals and peals can be proved to be true using ringing software
• You can find all the information you need about ringing in Cornwall at the Truro Diocesan Guild of Ringers website
• Fancy a copy of the book – it’s called ‘Ringing Down ‘Ere’ by John A Purdey and Owen J Borlase
• Walking, canal boats and helicopters – there are lots of ways to get out and about to explore those remote towers

Ask the expert

Pip Penney answered the following questions in this episode:

• Anne: “When you’re faced with the uncertainty of ringing a bell you’ve never rung before and when you take hold, are there any tips for working out where your hands need to be on the tail end and how firm your initial pull off should be?”
• Mike: “I have seen some experienced ringers use white powder on their hands to help their grip. What is the white powder? Does it actually help? Doesn’t it make the sallies sticky?”

Sponsor: This podcast is sponsored by the Association of Ringing Teachers (ART).  To find out more about learning to ring, learning to teach or other resources to support your ringing go to bellringing.org

Podcast team:
Anne Tansley Thomas
Emily Roderick
John Gwynne
Emily Watts
Cathy Booth

Ringing by:
The Cambridge Youths (supplied by David Richards) and for later episodes, The Liliputters Guild (supplied by Simon Edwards).

For bellringing training and support for teachers and ringers see: bellringing.org