Bellringers Complete 8.5 hour double peal at Exeter Cathedral in fundraising effort
Thirteen expert bellringers successfully rang what is known as a ‘double peal’ at Exeter Cathedral on Saturday 27 September.
A double peal is a lengthy performance where a set of bells is rung in a non-stop sequence of more than 10,000 changes without repetition. The rules of a double peal state that for a peal each bell must be rung by the same person throughout and there must be no breaks or pauses.
Taking the team 8 hours and 12 minutes, the double peal was rung on the cathedral’s twelve bells, the second heaviest set of bells hung for change ringing in the world. The tenor bell known as ‘Grandisson’ – named after Bishop John de Grandisson, Exeter’s longest serving bishop (1327-1369), – weighs just over 3.5 tonnes.
The ringing team was made up of two of Exeter Cathedral’s own bellringers, along with ten others joining from Birmingham, London, Portsmouth, Liverpool, Oxford, Derby and Bristol.
Matthew Hilling, Ringing Master of The Exeter Cathedral Society of Ringers, says a double peal is like “a marathon runner trying to run two marathons without stopping”.
The attempt is took place to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Exeter Cathedral’s 13th century Chapter House and the completion of recent conservation and renovation works, alongside raising funds for the cathedral’s new sound system. This will replace an old out-dated system and will make sure that services are accessible and welcoming to all.