Ringing Forums

This was a very good session. A few key points -
- Bats are present in well over 50% of churches (probably closer to 90% in the older ones) (they do not have up to date data)
- Different species use different spaces - some simply hang on rafters, some hide in cracks in wood, stone etc.
- Bats use different spaces at different times of the year
- Just because there are no signs of bats does not mean that there are none!
- It is far better to get advice and help in checking for bats before any project starts - not doing so could lead to disturbance of the bats or their roosts - either risks prosecution
- National Bats Helpline - https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/national-bat-helpline
- Free advice will often be available - talk to them!
- Finding bats does not necessarily prevent a project going ahead. Advice will be given on what to do when bats or roosts are found.

(More information is available on line using a search)

Yes, good point. A key feature of the design and installation is that the spider should be prevented from being lowered too far ie stop above head height of most / all taller people. Some spiders are decorative wooden or metal objects, but very heavy in consequence.

Conversely, the spider does need to be heavy enough and the pulley mechanism free enough for the spider to come down when released (and not before). I do recall a tower where the pulley did not run freely so we had to stand on various objects to help the spider down. Not what was intended!

Thanks Mark - yes, the leather straps do need to be very tightly buckled or they will slip round. The key point is to take up any slack left when the buckle holes are not quite in the best position. I have seen some people use rubber strips (typically old bike tubing) as a spacer or even blue tack - but blue tack is rather messy!

The muffles in the local tower that I used last week were designed with a strap on one side plus leather laces on the other. The lacing did not fix the muffle firmly enough but someone had obviously also found this so there were 6 large jubilee clips in the box that could be tightened over the leather that would have been laced. No problem with the muffles slipping, but next time i would inset a strip of rubber inner tube between the leather and jubilee clip - i fear that the jubilee clips would cut into the leather if the bells were rung for example for a quarter or longer.

A typical approach to avoid repeated changing of rope length is to have a few strong boxes available so that shorter ringers can stand on one of these with the rope adjusted for ringers who may be taller. Being short even relative to many fellow female ringers, I am more often than not looking round for a box before ringing. I even made a couple for a local tower where I ring occasionally so that I would have one to use when required!

Yes, ringers may think that a locked ringing room door will prevent access to the ropes. However, there are usually several sets of keys held by various people and permission may well be given for someone to access the ringing room for what is a legitimate reason - clearing the gutters, cleaning windows, testing electrical equipment etc. Hooks round the walls still leave the ropes at hand height whereas as ropes on a spider will mean that the ropes are out of reach and have to be positively "let down" before they are accessed.

Regarding "ringers' knots", as David says, there are many variations and what style is used to mean that a bell is up or a bell is down is not universal and certainly not to be relied on.

John - there was quite an extensive article in The Ringing World a few weeks ago. Have you seen that?

Hello Allen - https://cccbr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SM_Appt_of_TowerCaptain_2020_Ver_1.pdf

Here is a link that may help you; let us know if you would like further information.