The Sound of Bells

A little while ago, I was referred a question from the Dove team concerning pitch standards for bells.

Though much documentation from the Gillett & Johnston bellfoundry in Croydon has been lost, almost all the tuning books survive.

The bellfounding firm of Gillett & Johnston of Croydon cast a considerable number of peals of bells and carillons from the early 1900s until the late 1950s when they exited the bellfounding business.

Some mini-rings are build from ceramic bells, otherwise known as clay bells or flowerpots.

This article by Paul-Félix Vernimmen, grandson of Félix Van Aerschodt, the last bellfounder with the family name, was originally published in French in Le Folklore Brabaçon, 1983, no. 237-238, pp7-30.

At the time they were cast, the carillons and bells of the van Aerschodts were highly praised.

The van Aerschodt family of Leuven, Belgium were one of the most significant founders of bells in the low countries in the latter part of the 19th century.

To supplement the investigation of tubular bell acoustics, I carried out an experiment on a tubular bell at St Mary, Caterham, Surrey aimed at identifying the physical modes of vibration.

Hemispherical bells were produced by a number of bellfoundries (including Mears and Stainbank, Warners and Taylors) in the second half of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century.

This page was updated on 8/8/2025 with one more ancient bell on which the partials were identified from nodal patterns.