United Kingdom: bell ringers trained for the coronation of Charles III

2023-05-05T14:15:35.590Z

Highlights: In London, preparations are accelerating before the ceremony full of tradition, pageantry and pomp. During royal events, the bells of all the churches of the country will ring at full speed. Since January, more than a thousand more bell ringers have been trained, just in time for the UK's 5,500 steeples to celebrate Charles' coronation at full throttle. READ ALSO – United Kingdom: the coronation of Charles III, a costly ceremony in the midst of a social crisis.

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United Kingdom: bell ringers trained for the coronation of Charles III

Audio 01:44

Emma, volunteering to ring the bells on coronation day, surrounded by her teachers Janet Betham and Anthony Davey. St Anne's Church, Highgate, North London. © Daniel Vallot /RFI

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

D-1 before the coronation of Charles III, the new British king! In London, preparations are accelerating before the ceremony full of tradition, pageantry and pomp. Among these traditions, during royal events, the bells of all the churches of the country will ring at full speed. Problem: The UK lacks bell ringers. To remedy this, evening classes were given at the last minute to train volunteers.

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With our special envoy in London, Daniel Vallot

We are at the top of the bell tower of St Anne, a small church in North London. Janet, bell ringer for twenty years, first gives the safety instructions. Then comes the technical part, an apprenticeship of ten hours minimum.

People think they can learn in one evening, but no! Ittakes time. You have to pull the rope in the right way, neither too high nor too low. It's a matter of pace and control.

Among Janet's students, we meet Emma, a young resident of London who dreamed of ringing bells since childhood.

I was 7 or 8 years old and I imagined the joy it must be to make this sound. There, I tried one of the heaviest bells, it gives an incredible feeling of power! Being able to make so much noise in your neighborhood is really something," says Emma.

More than a thousand players trained

A little nervous though, Emma hopes to be ready in time for the coronation. This will be her way of participating in the event and perpetuating, she tells us, a centuries-old tradition. "These bells were very important in the past, it's like the news circulated at the time! And for me, it's important to be part of this story," adds the young woman.

Since January, more than a thousand more bell ringers have been trained, just in time for the UK's 5,500 steeples to celebrate Charles' coronation at full throttle.

" READ ALSO – United Kingdom: the coronation of Charles III, a costly ceremony in the midst of a social crisis

United Kingdom: bell ringers trained for the coronation of Charles III

United Kingdom: bell ringers trained for the coronation of Charles III

More than a thousand players trained

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