The Tower Handbook

9.6: Muffled ringing

a: What is half muffled ringing?

Ringing with a muffle on one side of the clapper to soften the sound when that side strikes the bell. The overall effect when all the bells are ringing is of an echo. All the bells sound loud for one row and then soft for the next. This is much commoner than fully muffled ringing, see section 9.6h.

b: What is a muffle?

A muffle is a round or oblong piece of leather that can be attached to one side of the clapper.

c: How are muffles fitted?

With a traditional muffle, the strap and buckle fits round the flight below the clapper ball and the thongs are used to tie round the clapper shaft above the ball. Some types have two lots of thongs and no straps.

Traditional muffles have buckled straps and/or leather thongs to fix them to the clapper. They work well, but can be fiddly to fit and some people have trouble fixing them securely [104]. Eventually the buckles and straps wear and the thongs break. You can use thick 'hairy string' to replace them, but it frays more than replacement thongs. Technology moves on, and in recent years, 'easy fit' and 'non slip' muffles have been designed to overcome these problems. They use Velcro, rubber straps with metal catches or plastic clips instead of buckles and thongs.

d: Which side is the muffle fitted?

Normally the backstroke is muffled, which means the muffle is on the opposite side to the rope when the bell is down. Make sure they are all correct since it sounds very odd if one is the wrong way round. The same effect is produced if one of the bells goes 'up wrong', since then the clapper is striking the wrong side of the bell at every stroke.

Less commonly, the handstroke is muffled so the echo precedes the normal sound. This is said to symbolise the tomb followed by the resurrection.

e: Where do we buy muffles from?

You can get muffles from bell hangers or founders, or a good saddler may make them. See The Ringing World Diary or advertisements in The Ringing World.

f: When are bells rung half muffled?

There are four main times for muffled ringing, some much less common.

• For funerals.
  Following the death of a respected parishioner, a ringer or a public figure half muffled ringing is a mark of respect. You would normally ring before and after the funeral service. You might also ring a quarter peal or peal 'in memoriam'. Sometimes the deceased stipulates in his will, or the family requests, that the bells be rung open at the funeral. This practice is becoming more common. It reflects the balance between 'mourning the loss of' and 'thanksgiving for the life of' the deceased.
• On Remembrance Sunday
  On the Sunday closest to November 11th, it is customary to ring church bells half muffled in memory of those who died in conflict, notably in the two World Wars. If your church has not previously done this, but would like to start, discuss it with your priest. Some people prefer not to have bells muffled on a Sunday.
• On New Year's Eve.
  Ringing around midnight on New Year's Eve is traditional in many places. In some it is customary to ring half muffled before midnight for the death of the old year, wait for the strike of twelve and then ring joyously for the New Year with open bells. This causes a problem taking the muffles off. See section 3.1v-w about the perils of going among the bells when they are up. Alternatively, ring down just before midnight, remove the muffles, and then raise the bells in peal to ring in the New Year on open bells.
• On Good Friday.
  This tradition in not widespread, indeed in some areas ringing during Holy Week is banned. But elsewhere it is traditional to ring half muffled for the Good Friday service, usually with no more ringing until Easter morning, but some priests request a muffled peal commencing at 3.00 p.m.

g: Are there any special types of ringing for half muffled bells?

All the so-called musical rows in most touches occur at backstroke. As the bells are normally muffled at backstroke, the musical rows are muffled. To get the music at handstroke you can either use special touches which produce music at handstroke (which is easier if you ring an odd bell method) or you can ring changes in 'whole pulls' (also called 'double struck ringing'). You repeat each handstroke blow at backstroke. In plain hunt you ring two blows in seconds, two in thirds etc, with four blows at the back and front. Everything takes twice as long, and can be tricky because everything 'feels different'.

h: What is fully muffled ringing?

Muffles are fitted to both sides of the clapper so both strokes are softer than normal. This is now rare, and most towers do not possess two sets of muffles to make it possible. Fully muffled ringing except for the Tenor's backstroke gives a more distinctive sound. In the past, fully muffled ringing has been used to mark the passing of royalty, major churchmen or statesmen.

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