User Contributed Dictionary
Noun
Extensive Definition
Grandsire is one of the standard change
ringing methods, usually rung on an odd numbers of church
bells. Grandsire Doubles
is rung on five working bells, Grandsire Triples
on seven, Grandsire Caters
on nine and Grandsire Cinques
on eleven.
History
The method was designed around 1650, probably by
Robert Roan who became master of the College Youths change
ringing society in 1652. Details of the method on five bells
appeared in print In 1668 in Tintinnalogia, the first book to be
published on change ringing. By this time R.R. had invented a
six-bell extension he named Grandsire Bob, now known by ringers as
Plain Bob Minor. The description of Grandsire predates modern
method
naming conventions. Grandsire on odd numbers of bells (as it is
usually rung) would share a name with the method known as Plain Bob
on even numbers of bells, if it were invented today.
The 120 possible changes of Doubles could only be
rung by the introduction of single changes---that is, changes in
which only two bells change position. Only two such
singles were required. It was unclear whether the 5040 (7!)
possible changes of Triples required a similar compromise. Although
attempts at Triples
compositions appeared in print as early as 1702 and a peal
length composed by John Garthon was rung in 1718, it was 1751
before John Holt produced the first satisfactory peal. William
Henry Thompson proved in a paper published in 1880 that it was
impossible to achieve the 5040 changes without the use of single
changes.
Peal length round blocks of Caters and Cinques
were more easily achieved. However, the ringing of Grandsire at
these stages was limited by the relative rarity of towers with
sufficient bells. Caters was first rung to a peal length in 1717
and Cinques in 1725.
Grandsire at all stages is still frequently rung
today. It is frequently one of the first methods learnt by new
bellringers.
The method
See also
References
- (Online book) Duckworth, Richard [ http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/18567 Tintinnalogia. 1671 edition] (Gutenberg Project)