St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, Society of Change Ringers exists to ring
the bells before Sunday services. In order to be able to pursue
this aim to a satisfactory standard the band needs to practise and add to
their skills in a weekly practice. Various other opportunities for ringing
also arise, such as marriages, funerals, other special services, peals and
quarter peals. Visiting other towers and welcoming visiting ringers to
Edinburgh are also important. Change Ringing is both an art
and a science, has its own terminology, cannot be undertaken alone, is therefore sociable,
and a wonderful means of giving physical and mental expression to one's faith.
There are ten bells hung in the central tower of the Cathedral for full-circle
ringing. The central spire houses a fine ring of ten bells.
They were the gift of the first Dean of St Mary's, the Very
Reverend James F Montgomery. The bells were all cast by
John Taylor & Co of Loughborough to weight ratios defined by
Lord Grimthorpe who was a leading bell designer of his day.
This is one of only a few complete Grimthorpe rings still in
existence. The bells were dedicated on 29th October 1879.
Since their installation very little work has been carried out.
They were retuned and rehung in 1935.
The fourth had to be re-cast in 1982 after cracking.
The current band have launched an appeal to facilitate
augmentation and rehanging in a steel frame to make
the bells ready for many more years service.
Each of the bells is named and this is
recalled by the ringers in the Belfry prayer:
Shed abroad, O Lord, in our hearts, and in the hearts of those to whom the
sound of these bells shall come, the manifold gifts of Thy Holy Spirit -
the graces of Humility, Temperance and Patience, of Devotion and Holy Fear,
of Peace and Joy, of Faith, Hope and Charity; and grant that they may, in
our lives, bring forth the fruits of good works, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, Society of Change Ringers
exists to ring the bells before Sunday services. In order to
be able to pursue this aim to a satisfactory standard the band
needs to practise and add to their skills in a weekly practice.
Various other opportunities for ringing also arise, such as
weddings, funerals, other special services, peals and quarter
peals. Visiting other towers and welcoming visiting ringers to
Edinburgh are also important. The bellringers of St Mary's
Cathedral are affiliated to the Scottish Association of Change
Ringers and have a responsibility to host ringing meetings and
practices for ringers throughout Scotland.
Ringing times are Sunday from 9.45 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. and Thursday from 7.30 p.m.
to 9.15 p.m. If you would like to know more, then please contact the Cathedral Office.