Annotation:St. Bride's Bells
X:1 T:St. Bride's Bells M:2/4 L:1/8 B:John Hinton - The Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure (London, Oct., 1754, p. 176). Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:A a|gfed|cBAa|gfed|c2Aa|gfed|cBAa|(g/a/)b B^d|e2E:| |:a|fdBg|ecAa|fdBg|e2 Aa|fdBg|ecAc|dfBg|a2 A:|]
ST. BRIDE’S BELLS. AKA - "Brides Bells (A/The)." English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The tune and dance instructions were first published in John Hinton’s periodical Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure (London, Oct., 1754, p. 176), and in R. Baldwin’s periodical London Magazine, or Gentleman’s Monthly Intelligencer (London, 1755). Later it was published in Charles and Samuel Thompson’s 1757 collection and in John Johnson’s 200 Favourite Country Dance Tunes, vol. 8 (London, 1758). The melody was entered into the music manuscript copybooks of British army fifer John Buttery, and London musician Thomas Hammersley (1790). "St. Brides Bells" was also entered in the 1850 music manuscript collection of shoemaker and fiddler William Winter (1774-1861, West Bagborough, Somerset, southwest England). In America, the melody appears in the 1797 copybook of Mansfield, Conn., fiddler Thomas Cary.
The ring of bells in St. Bride’s church was justifiably famous for centuries, until their final destruction in an air-raid in 1940. Peal-ringing became an organized musical endeavour in the 17th century, with societies devoted to the performances of composed music for ringing bells. It was even considered a feat of endurance, for teams of bell-ringers would sometimes peal their bells for up to 4.5 hours. The most famous peal-composer was Benjamin Annable, who died on February 1st 1756, and was buried under the tower of St. Brides. The following appeared in an unidentified newspaper, and shows the esteem with which he was held:
A few nights ago was buried under the tower of St. Bride's Mr. Benjamin Annable the best ringer that was ever known in the world. Till his time ringing was only called an art, but from the strength of his great genius he married it to the mathematics and 'tis now a science. This man in figures and ringing was like a Newton in philosophy, a Ratcliff in physic, a Hardwick in wisdom and law, a Handel in music, a Shakespeare in writing and a Garrick in acting. O rare Ben!"
