[Bell Historians] unusual clappers

[djb122uk]

> At Durham Cathedral there are the eight old clappers hanging in the 
ringing 
> chamber. All have a piece of round bar through them at the base of 
the flight 
> which is then bent towards the centre of the ball, but not to the 
strike point. 
> The ends of the bar extend to about the diameter of the ball of the 
clapper. 
> I don't know what this was trying to achieve, maybe it is some form 
of clapper 
> lifting? Are there any other clappers still in bells with this set-
up?

I don't know what they're for. I went to a practice there a few weeks 
ago and had a brief look at them. The old tenor clapper is also 
unusual in that the sides of the ball are flat, if I remember rightly.

David