PEALS
and QUARTER PEALS
Attained by East Garston Bellringers
since the year 2000
A peal is a change
ringing method rung to 5000 or more changes and so, as the
name would suggest, a quarter peal must be at least 1250 changes.
Quarters are rung to mark special occasions, or the personal
acheivements of ringers. A performance lasting about
45 minutes, is of more suitable length for service ringing,
and is occasionally rung after weddings.
More
quarter peals than peals are rung by local bands, so they
more closely reflect ‘grass roots’activity.
A quarter peal is a notable performance, publicly recorded
in The Ringing World (providing you send it in).
Being much shorter makes ringing a quarter peal more accessible
than ringing a peal. It takes a smaller fraction of your
day. It is easier to fit before a service or in an evening.
It is less physically demanding. If you start with too many
(or too few clothes) then you don’t have to sweat
(or shiver) for so long. Quarter peals are not subject to
such strict rules as peals, so there is a bit more latitude
for what you can ring, but in practice most people do broadly
abide by the same rules as peals.
