[Bell Historians] english bells in the holy land

Mon Dec 8 14:15:35 GMT 2025

Oliver 

Holley Wakeling completed a university dissertation last year on 'The Medieval Church Bells of the Middle East’. 

I’m sure she would be happy to share it. Let me know off list if you would like her contact details.

Gareth Davies
charollais at gmail.com <mailto:charollais at gmail.com>

> On 8 Dec 2025, at 09:43, Chris Pickford via Bell-historians <bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> Thanks for this – fills gap (date, 1898; Christ Church) in my list of tubular bells. I can add that they’re in the key of C, largest 88” long
>  
> Chris Pickford
> Knighton (Powys), UK
> Tel: 07811-453525
> e-mail: pickford5040 at gmail.com <mailto:pickford5040 at gmail.com>
>  
> From: Bell-historians <bell-historians-bounces at lists.ringingworld.co.uk> On Behalf Of Laurie Alexander via Bell-historians
> Sent: 08 December 2025 01:47
> To: oliver Lee via Bell-historians <bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk>
> Cc: Laurie Alexander <laurie2027 at hotmail.com>; Carl S Zimmerman <csz_stl at swbell.net>
> Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] english bells in the holy land
>  
> There is an online video - https://christchurchjerusalem.org/donate/bells/
>  
> Christ Church in Jerusalem, an Anglican church in the Old City, uniquely houses a set of eight historic Harrington tubular bells <https://www.google.com/search?q=Harrington+tubular+bells&sca_esv=8df951587e50b476&sxsrf=AE3TifMXt76CznhSfEAcbEfKupN01JTtPA%3A1765158191901&source=hp&ei=Ly02af7ZL667seMPwcua4QE&iflsig=AOw8s4IAAAAAaTY7P0mCphLHeGPl_CU8DRwPq0j74WZ2&ved=2ahUKEwi-iMTZ7qyRAxVXkq8BHdjgG1EQgK4QegQIARAD&uact=5&oq=set+of+8+tubular+bells+in+Christ+Church%2C+Jerusalem&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IjJzZXQgb2YgOCB0dWJ1bGFyIGJlbGxzIGluIENocmlzdCBDaHVyY2gsIEplcnVzYWxlbTIFEAAY7wUyCBAAGIAEGKIEMgUQABjvBTIFEAAY7wUyCBAAGIAEGKIESKYLUABYAHAAeACQAQCYAdEBoAHRAaoBAzItMbgBA8gBAPgBAvgBAZgCAaAC1AGYAwCSBwMyLTGgB_ACsgcDMi0xuAfUAcIHAzAuMcgHAoAIAA&sclient=gws-wiz&safe=active&ssui=on&mstk=AUtExfDhBnK3GDJHiGP2TqjotFfZV_l-99ZOxwlNTjuFU63KwGnYa6JoxQz0nDhNxRDkca0o7W0K6q1QyzsZuoZrElyth5xlcmwX_4_AFB7thzUnABVrU05GXQeBBXNQ0veLuK4QxlwSTku9llN2c9545uRlJ4RxhHHlUMQsM2wa0J_025E&csui=3>, installed over a century ago, which ring for services and special occasions but are in need of restoration, serving as a distinctive landmark and musical feature in the Holy Land. 
> Key Details:
> Type: An octave of tubular bells (8 bells).
> Location: Housed at Christ Church, the Anglican parish in the Old City of Jerusalem.
> History: Installed over 100 years ago.
> Significance: It's the only tubular bell system in the Holy Land.
> Function: Used for Sunday services, weddings, and events.
> Status: The bells were silenced for decades but are being actively restored through fundraising efforts, notes Christ Church Jerusalem <https://christchurchjerusalem.org/donate/bells/>. 
> Learn More & Support:
> You can find details and ways to support the restoration on the official Christ Church Jerusalem website.
> Articles from Anglican Compass and Christ Church Annual Reports <https://d3hgrlq6yacptf.cloudfront.net/5f3e97addb8f1/content/pages/documents/christ-church-annual-report-2024.pdf> provide more context. 
>  
> From: Bell-historians <bell-historians-bounces at lists.ringingworld.co.uk <mailto:bell-historians-bounces at lists.ringingworld.co.uk>> on behalf of Carl S Zimmerman via Bell-historians <bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk <mailto:bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk>>
> Sent: Monday, 8 December 2025 12:33 PM
> To: oliver Lee via Bell-historians <bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk <mailto:bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk>>
> Cc: Carl S Zimmerman <csz_stl at swbell.net <mailto:csz_stl at swbell.net>>
> Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] english bells in the holy land
>  
> Gillett & Johnston installed a 35-bell carillon in the tower of the YMCA in Jerusalem in 1930.  Eijsbouts added a bass bell during an overhaul in 2018.  It is played regularly.
>  
> Harrington installed a set of 8 tubular bells in Christ Church, Jerusalem (date unknown), and a recent photo of the building suggests that they may still be there.
>  
> Carl Scott Zimmerman, Campanologist 
> Saint Louis, Missouri, USA -
>  - 19th c. home of at least 37 bell founders or resellers 
> Tel. +1-314-821-8437 
> Webmaster for www.TowerBells.org <http://www.towerbells.org/>
>  * Avocation: tower bells
>  * Recreation: handbells
>  * Mission: church bells
> Webmaster for www.TSCChapter134.org <http://www.tscchapter134.org/>
> Treasurer, World Carillon Federation
>  
>  
> On Sunday, December 7, 2025 at 06:10:26 PM CST, oliver Lee via Bell-historians <bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk <mailto:bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk>> wrote: 
>  
>  
> Little bit of a strange question but are there any english bells in the Holy land (i.e jerusalem and bethlehem?), I know that st george's cathedral in jerusalem has an appropriately large tower for a ring of bells but I haven't come across any documentation that explicitly mentions what there is up there which makes me wonder  if it's one of those cases where the tower was provided but the bells where never installed thanks to monetary constraints!. It does surprise me that the holy land has never had any ringable towers but seeing that German missionaries where very popular in that part of the world during the late 19th century I think this might explain why places like the church of the the holy sepulchre have bells hung for swing chiming, nevertheless it's something that's always interested me hence my query
> Regards 
> Oliver lee
>  
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