Durham Cathedral has ten bells, with the tenor (the heaviest bell) weighing in at just under 1.5 tonnes. They are a ring of 10 bells, in the key of D. Until 1980 there were only eight bells, when two more bells were added.

The Durham Cathedral Guild of Bell Ringers is responsible for ringing the bells for services and special occasions. The 10 bells are hung at the top of the central tower. A brief history and description of the Cathedral’s bells can be found here.

Durham Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, [2] is a Church of England cathedral in the city of Durham, England. The cathedral is the seat of the bishop of Durham and is the mother church of the diocese of Durham.

These bells were used to call the monks to prayer at Midnight Matins. The four bells in the North Western Tower, named Galilee, Long Bell, St Bede and St Oswald were used on special occasions such as the Feast of St Cuthbert, Christmas and Easter. The bells were chimed individually not as a group.

10 bells ring daily from the bell tower, which can heard for miles, so keeping them in good working order is integral to the daily life and worship of the cathedral. From 9 to 30 January, work has been completed to preserve the integrity and enhance the performance of the bells.

The bells at Durham Cathedral, which Messrs. Mears and Stainbank have restored, have now been rehung, but, it is reported, they will not be rung until May, owing to serious defects discovered in the apex of the arch immediately below the vaulting.

Welcome to Durham Bell Ringers. Have you heard the bells ringing in and around Durham? Discover more about this ancient art, and the people behind it, and find out how to get involved!

A Bellringer’s Guide to the Bells in the North-East of England Durham Cathedral – 10: 28-0-6 in D Newcastle Cathedral – 12: 37-2-17 in Ab (plus 6b and extra treble)

As you look up from the Crossing you can see the floor of the ringing chamber, where the bellringers meet when they ring the cathedral bells. The bells themselves are in a room above them, nearer the top of the Tower, called the Belfry.

Durham Cathedral is the most visited attraction in the city and has been a place of worship and hospitality for almost a 1000 years… Living just a few miles away, Durham is a place I often venture into with my trusty Nikon as it always has something different to offer.