Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers


Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers is the standard reference to the rings of bells hung for English-style full-circle bell ringing. The vast majority of these "towers" are in England and Wales but the guide includes towers from the rest of the British Isles as well as a few from around the world. The latest edition is Dove’s Guide for Church Bell Ringers to the Rings of Bells of the World.

History

The guide was first published in 1950 by Ronald Hammerton Dove under the title A Bellringer's Guide to the Church Bells of Britain and Ringing Peals of the World. Previously the location of rings of bells was a matter only of local knowledge and hearsay. Dove produced eight editions of his guide between 1950 and 1994, managing to visit and ring at nearly all the ringable towers himself.
After 1994, he handed over responsibility for the Guide to the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. The 11th edition is the most recent published as a book and is also made available as a database for free access via the Internet: the Central Council continues to maintain the guide online.

Contents

Entries in the Guide traditionally listed the town or village, the county, the dedication of the church, the number of bells, the weight of the tenor and its musical note, and the tower's usual practice night. It also noted whether the bells were in an unringable or unsafe condition. Appendices also give information about rings of bells by number, weight, and county; a list of the heaviest bells in the British Isles; and details of changes since the previous edition. This information is helpful for those interested in trends over time. The online guide is, however, searchable by almost every criterion.
Although it was sometimes assumed to be exhaustive, Dove's Guide never pretended to be a complete catalogue. In fact, the Guide is under continual review and enhancement. Map grid references are now shown, and even details of towers as Points of Interest for users of satellite navigation systems: details of individual bells in each ring are being added gradually.
It is an invaluable aid for the holidaying bell ringer looking for a tower to visit, or for organising a tower grab. However, contact information for towers is still best obtained from individual websites and reports.

Historic