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Saturday, 28 February 2015

Ring O'Bells






I think I've only been in this pub once. It's a fairly traditional town pub, on the edge of Shipley town centre, serving a selection of real ales and some unpretentious 'pub food'. It styles itself as a sports pub, which means it has lots of TV screens and gets pretty busy if there is a good football or rugby match on. I think they also have live music sometimes and quizzes and games nights too. Those things all seem necessary these days for a local pub to survive.

It's aptly named, as it is not far from Shipley's parish church, St Paul's. I am sure you could hear the church bells from here.... though actually I'm not even certain the church has any bells! Or if it does, whether they are rung nowadays.

I chiefly notice this pub for the pretty etched glass in its windows, which sparkles in sunlight. Etched glass was popular in Victorian pubs but I wouldn't like to say how old these windows are. The coloured panels above were more popular in the 1930s.

6 comments:

  1. The windows really are a delight Jenny.. yes pubs do have to offer more than good ale to keep patrons coming back!

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  2. You are right, the frosted and etched windows are appealing. I thought the Brits loved pubs and pub food. Is all of that changing?

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  3. Yes the church does have a full set of bells and a peal is occassionally sounded...weddings etc.
    However the bells don't swing as in the traditional image with long ropes etc. There is a device in the ringing chamber where a series of short rope pulls (about 12 inches long ) are gripped and pulled towards the ringer to bring the clapper into contact with the side of the bell to create the ring. Additionally a single bell can be heard calling the Sunday faithful to Holy Communion, for a few minutes before that service and that uses a single long rope pulled on at ground level in the church porch.

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    1. That's fascinating information that I didn't know. Thank you so much for adding this.

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  4. Ah you know how to attract my attention. Every town should have a Ring 'O Bells pub and I have a long term quest to visit all of them before the bell tolls for me. Not been to the Shipley one, if it ever stops snowing I will make my pilgrim's way there.

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