alternative to bells

[Dickon Love]

AW:
> Does this still exist?

The playing of bell recordings from loudspeakers is actually illegal 
in the Canterbury Diocese. One church put speakers in rather than have 
their ring of 4 rung. The architect picked up on this and obliged them 
to seek a retrospective faculty. It was only granted for a particular 
period on the proviso that the church did something about getting its 
bells repaired. Alas nothing has happened.

I also recall an occasion when the Vicar of Queenborough 
played "Russian bells" through loudspeakers from the top of his tower 
after the wedding of the (ringing) daughter of the tower captain. This 
was his idea of a joke. It sounded awful, but we saw the funny side.

St Bride's, Fleet Street also has an artificial bell machine.

DrL