Lyr Req: Bellringing

Subject: Bellringing
From: GUEST,Lucy Burrow
Date: 27 Jan 01 - 02:55 PM

We sing a couple of Bellringing songs from down here in Cornwall - namely The ringers of Egloshayle and The Bellringing song - ('Twas in Ashwater town etc.) recently at the Sabine Baring Gould Festival a chap told us there was a song about Bellringers from Torrington, just over the border in Devon. Does anyone know of this song? Also Hawker (The Rev. Robert Stephen, author of Trelawney - the Cornish National Anthem) wrote a poem about the Launcells ringers - does anybody have the words to that? If anything 'rings a bell' I would be grateful to hear, plus any other campanologists delights!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: Barry Finn
Date: 27 Jan 01 - 03:21 PM

There's a very old thread of a (GREAT) bellringer's song, maybe in late 97 or early 98, poster would be listed John Nolan, you may find it using that info. Good luck, Barry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 01:08 AM

Lucy, Barry dug the thread up for you. It's URL is:

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=3990&messages=16

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: English Jon
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 03:18 AM

Tony Rose recorded "The Bellringing" in about 1968, I think. It's the "ashwater town" one, and I think it was on Trailer records, which was one of Bill Leaders projects.

something along the lines of:

"the men of North Lewe rung so steady and true, they rung for a purse and a hat laced with gold"

Is that the one you mean? I might have it somewhere.

Jon

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 05:18 AM

The song Tony Rose recorded is indeed the one Barry mentioned above; it was posted in the thread WYSIWYG gave the URL for and is also in the DT, here:  The Bell Ringing.  Some time ago I made a midi of the tune as collected by Sabine Baring Gould from William George Kerswell of Two Bridges, Dartmoor (it's a Devon song) which is at the  Mudcat Midi Pages: The Bell-Ringing.

The other song that Lucy already knows was posted in a discussion some time back:  The Ringers of Egloshayle,  whereupon someone enthusiastically posted "The Bellringing" again!

What I haven't managed to find is either of the two things Lucy is actually looking for, though I did discover that bellringing at Torrington continues to this day.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: Hawker
Date: 31 Jan 01 - 01:37 PM

Thanks for all your replies. I think it was a singer called Nic Burdet who told us of this song at The Baring Gould Festival last year. Have had no luck locating it,It was none of your suggestions, all of which as Malcolm correctly stated I am aware of. I live less than thirty miles from Torrington, and can turn up nothing locally, which is why I was so interested to fing out about it. Thanks for taking time to reply, I'll keep looking and hoping! Lucy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: Hawker
Date: 11 Mar 01 - 06:13 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 12:34 PM

I remember Pete Seeger doing one about all the Bells of London, can't remember what it was called. JohnB

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: nutty
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 02:59 PM

I don't know if this might be what you are looking for but I have the words to Hanley Church Bells

The chorus goes --

Now rising, now falling , now softer it swells
T'is the sweet sounding music of Hanley Church Bells

I seem to recall that Tim Laycock had something to do with this one --- I think he put the tune to it

If its the right one I'll dig out the words

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: Hawker
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 03:56 PM

Nutty, No, it isn't, but I'd like the words to that too if poss! Thanks!
Lucy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: Hawker
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 10:32 AM

This too is many moons old so I'll refresh it in the hope new blood may know something
Cheers, Lucy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: Scrump
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 10:36 AM

There's the Bellman's Song which we do from time to time - we learnt it from the Corries. Can't remember the words offhand (it's not me that sings the verses), but the chorus goes something like:

Ding, dong, the bellman's song
Ringing loud and ringing long
Ding dong among the throng
The crooked streets echo the bellman's song

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: mg
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 12:29 AM

if you are looking for bell songs I have one about the women opf Seaview, Washington, who called their men home from sea with cowbells in the storms. lmg

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: Jim Lad
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 12:47 AM

And if you're still looking for inspiration, Thomas Moore wrote a beautiful piece called "Those Evening Bells".

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BELLRINGERS
From: GUEST,muzza
Date: 01 Feb 11 - 01:19 PM

In case anybody wants the words to "The Bellringers."

THE BELLRINGERS

1) One day in October, neither drunken nor sober,
O'er Broadbury Down I was wending my way,
When I heard there some ringing, some dancing and singing.
I ought to remember that Jubilee day.

CHORUS: 'Twas in Ashwater Town, the bells they did sound,
They rang for a belt and a hat laced with gold,
But the men of North Lew rang so steady and true,
That there never were better in Devon I hold.

2) 'Twas misunderstood, for the men of Broadwood,
Gave a blow on the tenor should never have been.
But the men of North Lew rang so faultlessly true,
A difficult matter to beat them I ween.

3) They of Broadwood being sporty, then said to our party,
We'll ring you a challenge again in a round.
We'll give you the chance at St Stephen's or Launceston, (say Lawnston)
The prize to the winners being a note of five pound.

4) When the match it came on, at good Callington.
The bells they rang out o'er the valleys below.
Then the old and young people, the hale and the feeble.
They came out to hear the sweet bell music flow.

CHORUS: 'Twas in Callington Town, the bells they did sound,...

5) Those of Broadwood once more, were obliged to give o'er.
They were beaten completely and done in a round.
For the men of North Lew pulled so steady and true
That no better than they in the West could be found.

CHORUS: 'Twas in Ashwater Town then at Callington Town,

Collected by The Rev Sabine Baring-Gould, the Squire and Parson of nearby Lewtrenchard from William George Kerswell of Two Bridges, Dartmoor and also from James Down, a blacksmith, of nearby Broadwoodwidger. It is published in his book "Songs of the West"
It is probable that the Jubilee mentioned was the 50th anniversary of the coronation of King George the Third which was celebrated in October 1809. It was the first royal jubilee to be celebrated by countrywide events.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: Marje
Date: 01 Feb 11 - 01:43 PM

I have been told (here in Devon) that the "men of North Lew" were actually rubbish at bellringing, and that part is - or was - a bit of a bellringers' joke. CAn't vouch for this myself, though, so no man from North Lew should take offence.

Marje

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BELL-RINGER (Oxenford/Wallace)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Feb 11 - 02:32 PM

Not a folk song, but the words and music to this song can be found in Old Scotch Gems and Other Favourite Songs (Glasgow: David Bryce & Son, 1906), page 1:


THE BELL-RINGER
Words, John Oxenford. Music, W. Vincent Wallace.

1. I set the bell a-ringing
When the bride to the altar was led,
And I loved to hear it swinging
So merrily over my head.
The children flung gay garlands round,
While I sent forth the jocund sound,
Then many tears were shed, but yet
The young lip smiled while the cheek was wet.
"Ah! me, ah! me, ah! me," a song of joy and hope,
Was heard afar as I pulled my rope, as I pulled my rope.

2. I set the bell a-ringing
When the bride to the churchyard was borne,
And the dismal notes went rolling
To tell of a heart forlorn.
The wond'ring children stood aghast
As sable mourners by them passed.
"And she is gone so fair, so young,"
Thus loud lamented the iron tongue.
"Ah! me, ah! me, ah! me," a song of perished hope,
Was heard afar as I pulled my rope, as I pulled my rope.

3. I set the bell a-ringing
When in shadow is buried the day,
And a wondrous spell is stealing
O'er the hearts of the grave and gay.
The aged hear the fun'ral chime
Of slowly, surely dying time.
The youthful hear a cheering strain
That tells them day will revive again.
"Ah! me, ah! me, ah! me," a song of grief and hope
Is heard afar as I pull my rope.
A song of grief and hope
Is heard afar as I pull my rope.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE RINGERS OF TORRINGTON TOWN
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Feb 11 - 03:15 PM

From English Minstrelsie: A National Monument of English Song, Volume 4
by Sabine Baring-Gould (Edinburgh: T. C. & E. C. Jack, Grange Publishing Works, 1896), page 101—which has musical notation for one voice and piano.


THE RINGERS OF TORRINGTON TOWN
Folk Song. (F. W. B.)

1. Good ringers be we that in Torrington dwell,
And what that we are I will speedily tell,
1 2 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 2 1 One.
The first is called Turner, the second call'd Swete,
The third is a Vulcan, the fourth Harry Neat.
1 2 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 2 1 One.

2. The fifth is a doctor a man of renown.
The Tenor the Tailor that clothes the whole town,
1 2 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 2 1 One.
The breezes proclaim in their fall and their swell,
No jar in the concord, no flaw in a bell.
1 2 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 2 1 One.

3. The winds that are blowing on mountain and lea,
Bear swiftly my message across the blue sea.
1 2 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 2 1 One.
Stand all men in order, give each man his due,
We can't all be Tenors, but each can pull true,
1 2 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 2 1 One.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Feb 11 - 01:04 PM

We now have several versions of this song:

THE BELLRINGING from the Yetties

BELLRINGING, source unknown

THE BELL RINGING in the DT

And now we have another one posted by Muzza above on Feb. 1.

Apparently all these spring from the version collected and published by Sabine Baring-Gould, but they all differ in some details from the original posted source:

Songs of the West: Folk Songs of Devon and Cornwall by S. Baring Gould, H. Fleetwood Sheppard, and F. W. Bussell, new and revised edition under the musical editorship of Cecil J. Sharp (London: Methuen and Co., 1922), page 168.

--which has musical notation for 3 voices.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: doc.tom
Date: 06 Feb 11 - 01:48 PM

The entire Baring Gould collection has just been lainched on line thanks to Wren Trust, Martin Graebe, etc. Torrington Ringers is in the collection.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: Martin Graebe
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 10:49 AM

The pronunciation of Sabine is Say Bin'. That comes from the family - the name is still used by them today.

The version of the song given in English Minstrelsie is a bit rewritten by SB-G. The original notation can be seen on the Full English -
Torrington Ringers

It is fairly legible, by SB-G's standards, but if in doubt, contact me for a transcript.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: Martin Graebe
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 10:56 AM

And now I've cross-posted. Sorry! This was for the Torrington Ringers Thread.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: doc.tom
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 11:13 AM

Heigh-ho!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: GUEST,Darlodave
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 10:27 PM

Jim you're a great help, many thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: Musket
Date: 26 Sep 14 - 02:33 AM

The tune "Bridge over the river Ash" is set to the cadence structure half way through the ringing method "Bristol Maxiumus."

As Michael Caine would say, not a lot of people know that.

I thought it coincidence till I checked it out. It does seem so.

Despite Mrs Musket being a keen bell ringer, I have very few songs that mention change ringing. The only song I regularly sing with any reference is MacColl's Sweet Thames Flow Softly. So this thread is very useful and interesting.

Thank you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellringing
From: Peter the Squeezer
Date: 26 Sep 14 - 02:07 PM

Nearly 40 years ago, I heard Ron Darnbrough sing "Bells and Beer", in the White Lion(?) FC in Huddersfield.

Chorus was "Bells and Beer, Bells and Beer, Heigh Ho, Jolly Boys.
Swinging, Ringing, Heigh Ho, Jolly Boys".

Anyone got the words for the verses?