National Twelve-Bell Striking Contest

National 12-Bell Striking Contest
StatusActive
GenreCompetition
FrequencyAnnual
CountryUnited Kingdom
Years active49
Inaugurated31 May 1975 (1975-05-31)
Previous event22 June 2019
Next event25 June 2022
ActivityChange ringing
Websitewww.12bell.org.uk

The National Twelve-Bell Striking Contest is the principal change ringing striking competition in the United Kingdom. It has been held annually since 1975, and is open to any tower where 12-bell ringing is practised regularly. The winners of the competition are awarded the Taylor Trophy.[1]

In recent years the competition has become more regimented; it is now common practice that eliminators are held in good time before each year's final, and that all teams must qualify in the eliminators to compete in the final (with the occasional exception of teams representing host towers). The eliminators are usually held in March, all on the same day, and the final is usually held on the fourth Saturday in June.

The 2006 competition was featured in the Marcus Brigstocke BBC television programme Trophy People.[2]

Past Results

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2015 competition

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The final of the 2015 contest was held at St Peter Mancroft, Norwich on 27 June 2015. The results of the final are listed below:

Position Team Score Peal speed Ringing order
1st ASCY 91% 3h39 2nd
2nd Birmingham 89% 3h32 9th
3rd Bristol 84% 3h34 4th
4th Exeter 82% 3h31 7th
5th SRCY 77% 3h41 3rd
6th Melbourne 75% 3h37 6th
7th Cambridge 73% 3h34 10th
8th Norwich 72% 3h35 8th
9th Leeds 54% 3h41 1st
10th Towcester 49% 3h45 5th

2014 competition

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The final of the 2014 contest was held at Christ Church, Oxford and was won by Birmingham.

2013 competition

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Ripon Cathedral

The final of the 2013 National Twelve-Bell Striking Contest was held at Ripon Cathedral, North Yorkshire on Saturday 22 June. The results of the final are listed below:

Position Team Score Peal speed Ringing order
1st Birmingham 91% 3h27 5th
2nd Cambridge 84% 3h24 7th
3rd Bristol 83% 3h28 3rd
4th SRCY 82% 3h22 4th
5th Leeds 81% 3h26 8th
6th ASCY 80% 3h27 9th
7th Melbourne 77% 3h19 6th
8th York 71% 3h30 2nd
9th Towcester 65% 3h33 1st

The test piece for the 2013 final was six leads of Cambridge Surprise Maximus.

In a landmark move, the 2013 competition marked the first time that a live broadcast of the competition, including interviews with teams and judges, was streamed online for ringers around the world. It was hosted by the presenter and bellringer Matthew Tosh.[3]

Previous winners

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Year Winning Band Host Tower
2012 Birmingham St Michael, Melbourne
2011 Birmingham St Peter, Leeds
2010 Birmingham Holy Cross, Crediton
2009 St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, London
2008 Birmingham Lincoln Cathedral
2007 Birmingham St Stephen, Bristol
2006 St Paul's Cathedral Worcester Cathedral
2005 Birmingham St Lawrence, Towcester
2004 Birmingham St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside
2003 Birmingham St Laurence, Surfleet
2002 York Winchester Cathedral
2001 Birmingham Ss Peter and Paul, South Petherton
2000 Birmingham Birmingham Cathedral
1999 York York Minster
1998 ASCY St Peter Mancroft, Norwich
1997 SRCY St Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster
1996 St Paul's Cathedral Sheffield Cathedral
1995 Cambridge Coventry Cathedral
1994 Birmingham Exeter Cathedral
1993 SRCY St Lawrence, Towcester
1992 ASCY Newcastle Cathedral
1991 Cambridge St Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich
1990 Cambridge St Nicholas, Liverpool
1989 SRCY St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol
1988 Birmingham Guildford Cathedral
1987 Cambridge Great St Mary, Cambridge
1986 ASCY Leicester Cathedral
1985 Birmingham Canterbury Cathedral
1984 St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, London
1983 Birmingham The Bell Tower, Evesham
1982 Birmingham Manchester Town Hall
1981 Birmingham All Saints, High Wycombe
1980 ASCY York Minster
1979 Birmingham St Laurence, Reading
1978 Birmingham Birmingham Cathedral
1977 Birmingham Southwark Cathedral
1976 Leicester St Margaret, Leicester
1975 Leicester St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol

References

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  1. ^ "Home". 12bell.org.uk.
  2. ^ "BBC Four - Marcus Brigstocke's Trophy People, Series 1, Bell Ringing".
  3. ^ "National Twelve Bell 2013 – audio files". 16 October 2012.