A live show to celebrate the cathedral's chime lords? That rings a bell
ACROBATS will take to the stage in a live performance celebrating Lincoln Cathedral's bell-ringers.
The performers will emulate the pulsing motion of the traditional activity, as video and audio recordings featuring the cathedral's group are played.
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SOUND GUY: Pictured is Master of the company of ringers Les Townsend.
The 30-minute spectacle will take place at Lincoln's Drill Hall, in Free School Lane, on Saturday, September 3.
The show is part of Lincoln Art Programme's Trivia of Eccentric England art projects, which aim to showcase the nation's more unusual features.
Put together by artist Matthew Cowan, the project has a special link to the city, as the cathedral's ringing group is the oldest in the country.
The Company of Ringers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln has been ringing in the 13-bell south west tower since 1612.
Amelia Beavis-Harrison, curator at the Lincoln Art Programme, said: "It's going to be musical, physical and visual. It will be a feast for the eyes.
"There are so many activities in the country that are under represented and we think they should be celebrated."
Les Townsend, 78, of Coleby, is the master of the company of ringers at Lincoln and has been ringing at the cathedral since 1975.
He said: "We found it quite an interesting thing that people were concerned about what we were doing.
"I think people in the country should be very proud of it, as it's something that has been exported worldwide."
Mr Townsend explained the skill of bell ringing was difficult to master.
He said: "Handling the bell is something that you can attain, but how you work and interact with other people is something you never stop learning. There are a lot of complexities to get your mind around.
"I think the people that like to hear the sound of bell ringing are far more in number than the people that don't. It's something that not a lot of people do, in terms of the whole population.
"But in terms of eccentricity, I think it's quite a normal thing to do.
"When you're stuck up in the tower about 85 feet high, a lot of people don't know how it's being done. So it's a good chance for people to get an insight into it."
The Trivia of Eccentric England is part of the Cultural Olympiad Programme, which celebrates British culture in the build up to the 2012 games.
The show will begin at 1.30pm.
4 Comments
by T_Dious_Hagge
Thursday, September 01 2011, 9:04AM
“I like to 'go' bell-ringing, having a big, white cottage-cheese-like gut 'keeps' me firmly cemented to the floor, 'though'.”
by lynnlincoln
Thursday, September 01 2011, 8:49AM
“It is true Fran, I was about eight years old, a friend and myself would pull the ropes and be lifted off the floor, I was probably knee high to a grasshopper and weighed about as much too.”
by LincolnFran
Thursday, September 01 2011, 8:08AM
“That Lynn is one of the most dangerous things you could do. As a former bellringer I know the dangers of the ropes and they are very real. Besides, im not sure what you wrote is really true? If the bells are 'down' then you can't swing and go high in the air. If they are 'up' then you would most certainly have hit your head on the tower ceiling and at worst been seriously hurt by the flying tails whipping around.
If you have ever seen anyone with rope burn around their neck from the tails you would know what I mean and how ****** dangerous your actions (if they really occurred) were.”
by lynnlincoln
Tuesday, August 30 2011, 9:49AM
“As a child just loved messing about in the Village Church, pulling on the bell ropes and being lifted high in to the air, great fun.”