Old Mertonians ring in Merton's 750th Anniversary celebrations
On New Year’s Day, three old Mertonians - Alex Byrne, Michael O'Hagan and David Warwick - will join bell ringers from the Oxford and the Oxford University Societies of Change Ringers to attempt to ring 7,500 ‘changes’ on Merton’s unique set of eight bells.
If successful the peal will last for about five hours, starting at 1:00pm, and will be the longest ever attempt on the Merton bells.
A special peal has been devised specifically for the occasion by Robin Hall, the President of the Oxford Society of Change Ringers, and will be named to reflect the 750th celebrations.
In case you can’t join us here in Oxford to hear the peal, we will be recording it to share with you, so watch this space.
In the meantime, find out more about this historic peal in the words of old Mertonian and bell ringer, David Warwick:
The bells of Merton College are famous for being the oldest complete ring of eight bells by one founder in the world. They were cast by Christopher Hodson in 1680 and remain in their original state except for retuning and an overhaul of the hanging by Whites of Appleton in 1982. They are a true octave in the key of Eb with the largest tenor bell weighing just over 25cwt (1287kg).
Merton tower is unique in that the bells are rung from an open gallery inside the tower about 60ft above the ground, making communication between the ringers considerably more demanding than is usual. It is renowned amongst ringers across the country.
The first ever true peal (5000 or more changes) on the bells was scored on 3rd October 1817, with a further eleven peals later in the 19th century. As the ‘go’ of the bells became increasingly difficult only four peals were successful between 1900 and 1981, but following the 1982 refurbishment another eleven have been rung, mostly on dates around the middle of September to mark the College’s foundation. The peal on 1st January 2014 will be the longest ever peal attempt on the bells.
If anyone wishes to listen to part of the ringing, then a walk around Christ Church Meadow could be a lovely way to spend part of New Year’s Day!
David Warwick (Organ Scholar 1976-1979)
