St Peter's Cathedral
Bellringers
The bells of St Peter’s Cathedral are a much-loved part of Cathedral life, marking worship, celebration, and special occasions with a sound that carries across the city (and they are often heard better on the other side of the river).
The bells are rung using change ringing, a traditional English style of bell ringing known for its rich, swirling sound. It is a distinctive art form that began in England and is still practised in a small number of countries today.
ABOUT THE BELLS
St Peter’s has eight bells hung for change ringing. Five of these can be connected to the Cathedral clock with four bells that chime the quarter hours, and one bell to sound the hour.
While the clock mechanism is automated, all other ringing is done in the traditional way, with one ringer controlling each bell by hand from the end of a rope.
The bells range in weight from around a quarter of a tonne to just over one tonne. Although they are impressive in size, bellringing is not simply about strength. It is a skill that can be learned by people of many ages and abilities. At St Peter’s, ringers have ranged in age from 15 to 80, and children as young as 10 years old can learn to ring.
WHEN THE BELLS ARE RUNG
The bells are rung for:
Sunday services
Weddings
Special occasions and celebrations
For particularly significant occasions, the ringers may perform a peal, a remarkable feat in which each bell is rung at least 5,000 times without stopping. A peal usually takes around three hours and is often considered the bellringers’ equivalent of a marathon.
Are you interested in bellringing?
If you would like to find out more about bellringing at St Peter’s Cathedral, please get in touch:
Tower Captain: Wendy Tyrrell
Email: bells@stpeter.org.nz
Secretary: Sue Allen
Email: susan-allen@live.com
More information
If you would like further information about bellringing, head to the Australian and New Zealand Association of Bellringers.