Bells by Ann Reader

Bells, where are they now? 

"Sweet bells sweet chiming Christmas bells" one of the Sheffield carols.

A E Housman "O noisy bells be dumb."

Or more recently Jethro Tull " Ring out those Solstice Bells"

Probably an echo back to pre Christian worship.

Bells have a wonderful carrying ability that has encouraged humans to use them to communicate over distances. Joyous messages of christenings and weddings rang out from churches for centuries. Now social media performs much the same function.

Warnings of disasters such as fire or plague would be announced from church towers. Now televisions and radios and most recently even mobile phones give warnings.

Bells were tied to rocks to warn sailors of their danger. Now the only warning bell may be found on a bicycle.

Death is still occasionally announced by the sonorous single toll of a bell but generally only for royalty or other very important people.

Church bells now only ring to announce an imminent service, a charming sound that tends to be associated with countryside and English villages.

 As the churches wane in importance as centres for rural life, how long will this continue. Who in the future will mention bells in their poetry or song and who will understand the reference if they do?