It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that ding!

…or Dings ain’t what they used to be!

5th August 2008
Mostyn House School, Parkgate

We set off around midday feeling refreshed and as ready as we ever could be to see more carillons!

None of us had ever heard of Parkgate let alone visited it before but it turned out to be a most intriguing place and well worth a visit. The village first grew in the 1680s when ships began to call there. Until around 1815 it was a well-used terminal for passengers going to Dublin. Parkgate was also a well-known resort where people came for sea-bathing cures until the 1830s. Parkgate died as a port when the course of the river was changed (by man) to run along the welsh side. The coming of the railway on 1866 helped to inject new life into what had become a struggling fishing village but by 1940 the tide had all but ceased coming in twice a day and marshlands grew out in front of the village instead.

It’s a most unusual sight as you walk along what looks like a sea-front but isn’t. The marsh in front of the village is now a bird reserve and attracts many visitors for that purpose – Parkgate has been a conservation area since the 1970s.

A visit to Nicholl’s Ice Cream parlour is a must, though, it’s been there since 1935 and still serves the most exquisite flavours of ice cream – obviously the ice-cream is a bit more recent than 1835, or at least we presumed so!

The carillon in Parkgate resides at Mostyn House School. The Mostyn Arms Hotel was popular with sea-bathers but, as the trend declined due in part to competition from New Brighton, the property changed hands a few times until it was leased by Edward Price in 1855 as Mostyn House School. The name Mostyn comes from Sit Thomas Mostyn who owned the entire village of Parkgate until it was sold by auction in 1849.

We arrived at the school at 2pm – it stands in lovely grounds and was very quiet due to the summer holidays – we were first greeted by a young fox enjoying a frolic on the lawns in the sunshine. The carillon bells hang on a frame outdoors and are clearly visible on the roof next to the chapel. A 31 bell carillon was installed as a war memorial to former pupils who were killed in the First World War. Other publicity we have obtained says there are 37 bells so there may have been more added later.

We were met by Beverley Tudor and taken through the school to where the clavier is situated. It’s a beautiful school and felt like something straight out of Hogwarts. We had a peek in the chapel first where the pupils have morning assemblies and where weddings are also held.

I wonder if the students appreciate what a wonderful building they are being educated in – if they don’t now, they certainly will in the future.

And now … about the carillon …

We have talked a lot about what we can write here so as not to cause offence after we were kindly given permission to see the clavier and the bells and to take photographs of them and we have decided that honesty is the best policy so as not to affect the reliability of our comments about the other carillons we have visited.

The clavier is in a very sorry state and made for quite a sad sight. Caroline did try to play a tune but many of the batons are hanging loose and the transmissions are in urgent need of attention; in fact the whole thing needs some intensive TLC. We were all a little bit stunned by it to be honest. Apparently the carillon is used by the pupils on a regular basis and it certainly looks like it’s taken a battering along the way.

On a positive note, we are told that there is ongoing fundraising for maintenance of the carillon, so perhaps there is a refurbishment on the horizon. We hope so. The school has such a rare and unique instrument in their possession and we hope that, if anyone from Mostyn House happens upon this blog, they can see, by looking at the other carillons in the UK, the potential of the instrument they have.

We’d like to thank Beverely Tudor and Mostyn House School for agreeing to our visit and to our taking pictures and footage of the clavier and the bells. We wish them every success with the fundraising for the carillon.

Next stop St Helens ...

Bell Power in the Tower ...

or ... The Spinster in the Minster!

Sunday 3rd August 2008

York Minster Cathedral

www.carillons.org/york

Our arrival in York was rather less eventful than our introduction to Newcastle. We stayed in a fabulous B&B in Escrick just outside York - http://www.yorkblackbullinn.com/ -a place to be highly recommended, with a top notch menu; we just had to have three courses - it would've been rude not to!

The following day, after yet another hearty breakfast, we met up with David Potter, the Ringing Master at York, at around 12:30 and he took us back to his home to meet his wife Christine who laid on a fantastic lunch for us at their home which was just a stone's throw from the Minster with awesome views of it through nearly every window!

(One could be forgiven for wondering if this tour is more about food than bells at times but, with so many steps to be climbed, nourishment has obviously had to be a priority consideration!)

Once replete, David walked us over to the Minster dodging all the queues of toursits waiting to get in. Here's David pointing out the Bell Founder's window in the north nave aisle to Caroline.

This window was given to the Minster by Richard Tunnoc, a York bell founder, in the 14th century.

The carillon is housed in the South West tower - here's Caz bracing herself for the climb!

David showed us the bells first, starting with Big Peter which weighs over 10 tonnes and is the deepest-toned bell in Europe. Big Peter had quite an effect on poor Caroline - he made her go weak at the knees as she panicked at his sheer magnitude. (And just when I was saying how well it was all going in that respect!) A few choice words escaped when David said he'd sound the bell for us - poor Caz didn't know what to do with herself as she clung precariously to the tower walls feeling trapped by height, narrow winding stairs and BIG BELLS!!!! No photos, sadly, but the video footage is eagerly awaited on that one ...

After that trauma we then had to cross back over to the tower housing the carillon bells and clavier -or in Caroline's case, shuffle precariously. To be fair, I think walking on the roof of the Minster between the two bell towers was a bit 'hairy' for all of us!

Next David showed us the Carillon bells which are hung above the swinging bells which were resting in their upturned position. Because of their distance away, David has installed wooden trap doors so that the sound of the carillon can be heard in the clavier room.

It's difficult to get really good pictures of the bells but there should be some good video footage coming soon ...

Caroline played a recital for half an hour before Evensong. What a fantastic brand new clavier and what an honour to be invited to play it! The clavier room is bright and airy and is also the ringing room for the swinging bells complete with playpen and pretend bell rope to keep the little ones happy while parents are ringing.

Not surprisingly, Caroline found this the easiest and quietest clavier to play - as long as she didn't take a peek out of the window to her right!

The carillon sounded beautiful from outside, stopping many people in their tracks as they stood listening to the gentle melodies chiming over the City of York.

We'd like to thank David and Christine very much for their hospitality and for making our visit to York Minster extra special. Thanks to David for showing us around and inviting Caroline to play and thanks to Christine for such an excellent lunch in such a beautiful setting.

An amble through the Shambles took us back to the car and to a trip to the NW for a day off and some much needed R & R.

Coming up on the blog front (I'm desperately trying to catch up but the lap top just won't play ball) we have Parkgate and St Helens ... betcha just can't wait!

Ding Dong - Caroline calling! At Newcastle ...

Saturday 2nd August 2008

The Edith Adamson Carillon, Newcastle

http://www.carillons.org/newcastle/

Our three hour journey to Newcastle took four hours so we arrived somewhat bedraggled on Friday evening. Our introduction to Newcastle was unfortunate to say the least as we encountered a large number of inebriated individuals one of whom insisted on showing us his wares on his way out for a night on the town ... we managed to recover after a couple of bevvies in the bar which didn’t have any glasses due to the fact that they’d all been nicked and, despite the ominous signs that we were in for a disturbed night, the hotel was remarkably quiet enabling us to get a good rest. After a hearty breakfast we explored the shopping areas of Newcastle between torrential down-pours before meeting up with Newcastle’s carillonneur Dr Ian Brunt.

The carillon here is housed in a tower which rises above the civic centre. The carillon was given as a memorial to Edith Adamson by her husband and was installed in 1966.

It made a pleasant change NOT to have to climb up hundreds of steps; instead we took the lift to the 10th floor and walked up a further 20 steps or so to reach the clavier which is situated in one of the most 'civilised' clavier rooms - the only downside being that there are no windows.

It’s a well maintained instrument which is checked annually by Taylors. Caroline tried out a few pieces and she said it was deceptively quite hard work to play probably because, although small, there are a good number of heavier bells.

Ian took us up to see the bells. We are all beginning to be able to recognize the sound of Taylor’s bells – we’re not sure whether becoming attuned is a good thing or if it’s a sign that we’ve seen too many bells of late! We’re ALL having bell dreams – last night I dreamt I lived in a bell tower and that my bed was covered in pigeon deposits! We all think we keep hearing bells and may well be suffering from the first signs of bell-madness…


So back to Newcastle - we took in some fantastic views from the roof. Caroline really does seem to be taking to the heights and bells saturation therapy and not only made it to the top but also stayed up there while Ian was playing the bells!

Looking towards the Tyne bridge.

Interestingly, the carillon can also be played electronically by using a small electronic keyboard.

Caroline tried it out. It was surprisingly hard work – the delay before the bell is struck is more prominent and it’s impossible to get any expression into the bells this way.

We’d really like to thank Dr Ian Brunt for coming to meet us to show us around the carillon. We were treated to a fantastic rendition on the bells by Ian himself which was very impressive.

And finally ... no trip to the North East is copmplete without paying homage to the Angel of the North.

Next stop York Minster ... 'citing eh?!

Going like the clappers ...

Long overdue footage of the UK's most accomplished carillonneur, Trevor Workman, playing Loughborough on Sunday 27th July 08...

No commentary needed!

Name that tune in Aberdeen, Perth & St Andrews ...

Playing Aberdeen

Playing Perth

Perth from outside

Playing St Andrews

St Andrews Bells

Bell Free ...

Don’t panic - we’re back on blog again! We realize how much you must have been missing the daily updates …

We’ve had a few long drives which has delayed things somewhat and we couldn't get internet access while we were in York but we'll gradually catch up. So far we have travelled over 1100 miles and climbed up and down hundreds of steps; today we’ve just been enjoying a much needed bell free day – geddit? Bell free!!!

So picking up now where we left off …

Friday 1st August 2008

St Marnock's Parish Church, Kilmarnock

www.carillons.org/kilmarnock

After our Dumbarton disappointment things started to look up again as we met Rev James McNaughtan at St Marnock’s church, Kilmarnock during the afternoon which houses the only Whitechapel carillon in the UK.

St Marnock’s was opened in 1836 and was built as a ‘chapel of ease’ i.e. to take the overflow congregation from the main Parish Church. At the end of this month the church is going to be renamed St Andrew’s and St Marnock’s as it forms a union with Howard St Andrew's in the town.

It was quite a strenuous climb up the 111 steps to the clavier with just a short ladder from the clavier room leading up to the 30 bells making them, therefore, the closest to the clavier that we have seen so far. This 30 bell carillon was installed in 1955 in memory of Peter Wills and daughters, Maggie and Mary.

Caroline again described the clavier as ‘quirky’ – some batons require a particular knack to make the bells sound but this gives the clavier an interesting individuality and character.

The sound in the clavier room was very distinctly different from the other places we have visited. The bells sounded dampened somehow and less resonant although that is not how they sounded from the outside – it’s an intriguing instrument in that respect.

We’d like to thank Rev McNaughtan for kindly meeting us and showing us around the carillon and the bells and for his patience as we attempted to find a suitable vantage point for recording the bells outside … and then it started to tip it down!

Read more about the church at:

http://www.stmarnocks.org.uk/

No baton bell games in Dumbarton but Caz rings a bell in Kilmarnock

Friday 1st August

St Patricks Church, Dumbarton

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Sadly, today's carillon visits got off to a disappointing start. We had arranged a meeting for 12:30 at St Partick's in Dumbarton but, although we waited until just after 1pm, when guests started to arrive for a wedding we decided to take that as our cue to leave. We were able to get into the church for a look around but there was no one else there to ask about the carillon.

Here are some photographs from inside the church.

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This is the base of the tower with a door in the corner which probably leads up to the carillon and the bells

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