Glossary of ringing terms – G

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Words or phrases underlined are defined within the glossary. Where it assists with clarity, a definition is annotated to indicate a part of speech. (n) = noun, (vb) = verb, (adj) = adjective, (adv) = adverb. Section references refer to sections within The Tower Handbook.  

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Gap

An interval between successive blows of consecutively striking bells, significantly longer than it should be.

Garter hole

Hole in the bell wheel through which the rope passes to be attached to the spokes.

Gear

Fittings

Georgian Group

Amenity society that aims to protect buildings of the Georgian period (~1700–1837) – consulted for faculty applications relating to such buildings and contents, including bells. See also Victorian Society.

Go

(1) (n or vb) Term to describe how easy a bell is to ring, eg 'the tenor does not go very well' or 'I don't like the go of the treble'.
(2) (vb) Abbreviation for 'go next', especially preceding a method name, eg 'go Plain Bob'.
(3) (vb) (of a touch,peal, etc) Likely to progress to a satisfactory conclusion. eg 'It wasn't going so I decided to call it round'.

Go next

Call to initiate change ringing at the following handstroke. This assumes the method is already known to the ringers. More commonly the method will be included in the call, eg 'go Bristol'.

Go off

Start ringing changes. eg 'go off at backstroke' means the first row after rounds is at backstroke.

Go round(s)

Call to initiate return to ringing rounds as soon as possible, eg if the quality of the striking has deteriorated below an acceptable level, if there have been irrecoverable errors, or if the conductor has mis-called.

Goldsmith, JS

John Sparkes Goldsmith was the proprietor and first editor of The Ringing World from 1911-1942.

Grab

Colloquial term for ringing at a new tower, particularly when doing so at many on one day.

Grandsire

A very common twin hunt  method, normally rung on odd numbers of bells.

Granta variation

A scheme for keeping the tenors out of the slow in Kent Treble Bob by splicing it with Bastow Little Bob. Closely related is Cam variation, and the two are confused in some peal reports. The first peal of Granta (RW 1921 p222)) did not specify what it was but the first peal of Cam (RW 1921 p269 ) did. See also: Ilkeston, Killamarsh, Liversedge and Worcester.

Graveyard bob

Very bad ringing

Green zone 

 One of a series of zones – broad descriptions of ringing ability. It came into use some years after Simon Linford's articles Room at the Top published in The Ringing World in 2002-3 had introduced the Blue, Red and Black zones. The Green zone covers ringing from basics to call changes. See also: Blue zone, Red zone, Black zone. 

Grid

Diagram showing a lead of a method, with the line (not number) of every bell. It allows the structure of the method to be visualised, including how different work fits together. Sometimes a lead and a half is shown to avoid half the work (normally the work over the hunt bell) being split in two separate parts.

Grillage

Timber or metalwork let into the tower walls to support the bellframe – also referred to as foundation.

Ground pulley

The pulley in the bell pit, around which the rope turns to pass under the wheel at handstroke. If the pulley is positioned so the rope does not hang vertically to it when wound round the wheel at backstroke, there are two ground pulleys with the rope passing between them.

Group letter 

Alternative term for lead head code. Eg: 'a group b method'.

Gudgeon (pin)

Metal shafts attached to the ends of the headstock, forming the axle on which the bell swings.

Guide

Rope guide

Guild

A ringing organisation, typically representing a number of towers in a diocese, county or region. Also there are university guilds and some professional guilds. See also association.

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