On 15 Aug 2004, at 19:22, John W. Kennedy wrote:

That reminds me -- the original equipment of the bell included both a
rope to peal (by swinging the bell) and a second rope that worked a
rubber (I think) hammer, for tolling.  When the electric ringer was
installed in the 1960's, it was installed in such a way that the old
pealing rope could still be used, but the old tolling mechanism was
removed (though it's still lying, discarded, by the side of the bell).
However, the electric ringer has two different hammers, one to peal, and
one to toll.  Is this known in England, or am I making noises like a man
from Mars?

Chiming hammers separate from the clapper -- yes. Indeed we have that mechanism in St Ives. The 8 bells are hung for full-circle ringing with the 8 ropes descending to the church floor (though usually strung up out of the way). One of the bells has a chiming hammer, attached to another rope which also descends to the church floor. This rope is used to ring the calling bell, the sanctus, and so on. And several of other others (haven't counted how many) have chiming hammers which are controlled by wires which rise to the clock mechanism (which is itself controlled by radio signal from Rugby -- the standard radio time controller in Britain). These wires control the quarter chimes (rung to the Westminster Chimes) and the hour bell.

Before ringing the bells up for full-circle ringing, the chiming hammers must be moved out of the way by pulling a couple of wires which also descend to the church floor. If the hammers were not removed then if you were ringing at the quarter hour then you could crack a bell, because the chiming hammer would be in the path of the swinging bell.

Properly one refers to chiming when the bell is struck by a hammer, tolling (I think) when the bell is rocked to and fro so that the clapper hits the bell, and ringing only when the bells are rung full-circle. But the distinction is (not surprisingly) lost on most people.

simon