The Church Bells of Bedfordshire (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 edition. Excerpt: ...the deceased is tolled. At Shillington the same number of tolls are given on the tenor bell for adults, on the 4th bell for young people, and on the treble for children. At Southill they give the same number of tolls (3x3 and o 3 x 2) on the tenor for people above twenty years of age, on the 5th for those under twenty, on the 4th if under sixteen, on the 3rd if under twelve, on the 2nd if under eight, and on the treble if under four years of age. These are given before and after the knell on the tenor bell, which is rung with a stroke at intervals of a few seconds. Different customs are observed in other parishes. Thus at Cardington they give three tolls for a male on the bells in succession, commencing with the 8th (tenor) bell, and going to the 3rd, when the tenor is rung for the knell; the same number of strokes are given on the same bells for a female, but commencing with the 3rd and going on to the 8th. At Dean and at Melchbourne three tolls are given for males on the tenor, and the same number on the treble for females, both before and after the knell on the tenor, which is tolled forty minutes for adults and fifteen minutes for children. At Tilbrook three strokes are given on all the bells " for all alike." At Husborne Crawley thrice three tolls for a male and thrice two for a female arc given on the 3rd, 4th and 5th bells before and after the knell, which is rung on the tenor for adults, on the 5th bell for children. At Keysoe the custom is to give three tolls twice on all the bells both before and after the knell, which is rung for an hour, for males and females alike, commencing with the tenor for the former, with the trehje for the latter. At Turvey they give, at the close of the knell on the tenor bell, thrice three tolls on...