Handbell Toolbox

Oxford or Kent?

Oxford is a better stepping stone method (to Surprise methods) than Kent. You can build up to it by ringing the stepping stone exercises/methods of Treble Bob Hunt, Bastow Little Court and Forward Minor. It can, however, go wrong very quickly if any of the ringers miss the 1-2 treble dodge.

How to ring Oxford

• The treble rings treble bob throughout.
• If you meet the treble on the front you must dodge with it and thereafter make seconds, lead and make seconds until the treble returns to dodge with you in 1/2. This is called ‘the slow work’.
• Whenever the slow bell makes seconds the other bells dodge in 3/4 and 5/6 (this will feel like Bastow except that it is the ‘slow’ bell making seconds not the treble).
• If the treble is under you when you arrive in 3/4 make Oxford places rather than dodge.
• If you "fluff" or miss the places you can very quickly find yourself in completely the wrong position and place.
• Write the places out and learn the patterns for these places.

When you are learning Oxford it is perfectly alright for the strongest ringer or the treble ringer to call out "treble dodging in 1-2 now", "lead end" or "hunt above" (the slow bell) or "dodge above" (the slow bell). Adding structural comments like this can stabilise the ringing and help people learn how to ring by watching or listening for the treble. A two page Oxford Treble Bob Minor cribsheet can be downloaded for study and reference.

Ringing bobs

As for Kent, the plain hunt block (x16) at the Oxford lead end is replaced by a (x14) block when a bob is called. This is the same place notation block as for a bobbed lead of Plain Bob Minor and it has the same effect:

• One bell runs out – the bell just coming out of the slow. In fact it is unaffected by the bob. Remember to make Oxford fourths and in after the bob.
• One bell runs in – the bell just going in to the slow. It, too, is unaffected by the bob.
• Two bells dodge in 5/6. This dodge replaces the plain hunt at the lead end and results in a triple dodge at the back – counted as 'one when the treble is dodging in 1-2 down, one for the bob, and a final one for when the treble is dodging 1-2 after the lead end.
• One bell makes the bob. This is the bell that made thirds places when the treble dodged in 1/2 before the lead end. Before the bob, this bell first makes thirds from the back, makes two blows in fourths at the lead end followed by Oxford thirds and out to the back. This entails ringing thirds, fourths, thirds and out. This is the most difficult manoeuvre to make – study it before you ring it!