Handbell Toolbox

Most experienced handbell ringers use a combination of places, grid, lines, and structure (based on where the treble is or what the first bell of their pair is doing) to ring handbell methods and these different approaches need to be learnt and practised. A small number of teachers teach and ring solely by place notation and can keep bands right who ring this way. Here are some ideas to introduce place notation ringing to your band. If nothing else, they will help your band ring and keep right later on. For example knowing that a fifths place is made under the treble at the half-lead and the structure this produces makes the advice "half-lead now" an easy way to recover a piece of ringing.

Teaching ideas

Seconds place (x12)

• Call seconds at random whilst ringing Original
• Ring Plain Bob with different bells as the treble

Fourths place (x14)

• Call fourths at random whilst ringing Original
• Ring Single Court (but don't name it) either call the places or use the rule "fourths when treble hunts through 2/3"

Thirds place (x36)

• Call thirds at random whilst ringing Original
• Ring College Bob (St Clements without the 2nds)

Fifths place (x56)

• Call fifths at random whilst ringing Original
• Ring fifths when the treble lies (Reverse Bob)

Combined places

• Double Bob (2nds and 5ths)
• Double Court (3rds and 4ths)
• Single Oxford (4ths and 2nds)
• Double Oxford (3rds, 4ths, 5ths and 2nds)

Treble bob methods

• Oxford is a good start, change the 2nds when the treble is in 5-6 to 4ths (that's Burton Treble Bob)
• Cambridge is 3rds 4ths 2nds 3rds 4ths, 5ths at the half lead and 2nds at the lead head
• This can then be varied by having or not having 5ths at the half lead and 2nds at the lead head (giving three more methods)

Wrong place methods

All these are right place methods (i.e. places are made at backstroke only). Wrong place methods (e.g. London) are more difficult to ring by place notation.