York Minster - Precentor's Court, York, UK
N 53° 57.734 W 001° 04.995
30U E 625748 N 5981020
The two western towers of York Minster contain between them a total of 56 bells, this being the largest number of bells in any English cathedral. This number includes the carillon.
Waymark Code: WMGHQJ
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 03/09/2013
Views: 11
The York Minster Bells website [visit link] tells
us:
"Carillon Bells:
Hung above the ringing peal are the carillon bells. These are played
by one person using the klavier (similar to a keyboard) from the ringing
chamber. This arrangement allows melodies to be played in a similar fashion to
how a piano operates. In a piano, when a key is pressed a hammer hits a string
to prodcue a note. When a key is pressed on the carillon however, a series of
mechanisms causes the clapper to strike against a bell and produce the
note.
The carillon at York Minster
comprises 35 bells, all cast by Taylors / Taylors Eayre & Smith of
Loughborough. 11 of these bells originally resided at St Mary’s Church, Nelson
(Lancashire) and were transferred to York in 1989. From this date until 2008,
the Nelson bells formed a ‘chime’ – a similar system to the current carillon,
though limited by the number of notes.
24 additional bells were added in
2008, together with a new frame, fixtures, fittings and transmission system
along with the klavier from which the bells are played. This allows a far wider
range of music to be played than was previously possible."
The British Carillon Society website
[visit link] also tells
us:
"The carillon at York Minster is
based on a chime of eleven bells cast by Taylor’s in 1933 for St. Mary’s Church,
Nelson, Lancashire. These were transferred to the Cathedral on the closure of
that church in 1989. In 2008 twenty-four bells were added, together with a new
bell frame, transmission and clavier to complete a carillon of thirty-five
bells. Thirteen of these bells had previously been cast by Taylor’s between 1999
and 2001 for a mobile chime operated by David Potter, and had been tuned to
match the “Nelson” chime at the time of their casting. Eleven additional bells
were cast by Taylor’s, Eayre & Smith in 2007/2008.
Recitals: The carillon is played to
announce Evensong daily Monday to Saturday from 16:45 – 17.15. Other recitals
will be announced.
Date of Construction: 2008,
Taylor’s, Eayre & Smith.
Number of Bells: 35
Largest bell: 23 cwts. 3 qrs. 19
lbs., tuned to D.
Visiting Carillonneurs:
The
carillon is available for recitals on Saturdays at 2pm and at other times by
arrangement.
News:
The carillon is being used
daily for Evensong (4.45 p.m.), and the team of carillonneurs is growing in
confidence as the repertoire increases. Hymns according to the season are
played, together with some light classical music."