Cultural Studies 3A

The Glaswegian Tower Block over Time

Cultural Studies 3B

The Bells... The Bells... !!

Glasgow City Centre. 2021. It is quiet, but only due to the pandemic hanging over the world. In any other year, the city would be alive with sound. Now, cars, ambulances, fire engines and police cars litter the streets. Children mull about on the pavement. The odd drunkard shouts too loud for the early evening. There’s a student playing the guitar on Buchanan Street, trying to garner some extra cash. Three teenagers drag their skateboards up the hill.

What is missing from this picture? To the average Glaswegian, nothing. To a campanologist, 300 years of history. For just over a year, one key element of the cityscape has been absent. The final bell tower in Glasgow has fallen silent. St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral has closed its doors to the ringing community. However, this is not an incident determined by current events, simply accelerated by them.

Trongate
Trongate This tower hasn't had regular songs since the 1800s.

Trongate

This tower hasn't had regular songs since the 1800s.

St. Mary's Cathedral
St. Mary's Cathedral As the only church in Glasgow with bells, these harmonious tones can only be heard from the south-east side of the structure.

St. Mary's Cathedral

As the only church in Glasgow with bells, these harmonious tones can only be heard from the south-east side of the structure.

Tron Steeple
Tron Steeple Once a time-telling tower, this garish structure has fallen quiet.

Tron Steeple

Once a time-telling tower, this garish structure has fallen quiet.

St. James', Paisley
St. James', Paisley Quiet since 2016, the community of bellringers here have been flung far and wide.

St. James', Paisley

Quiet since 2016, the community of bellringers here have been flung far and wide.

Open Doors, for How Long?
Open Doors, for How Long? An open door is a certain way of knowing of the existence of a ringing practice, but how long will it take for the doors to become permanently closed?

Open Doors, for How Long?

An open door is a certain way of knowing of the existence of a ringing practice, but how long will it take for the doors to become permanently closed?

Glasgow Cathedral
Glasgow Cathedral Are the cracks beginning to show in the future of campanology, the bells that it uses and the buildings that house it?

Glasgow Cathedral

Are the cracks beginning to show in the future of campanology, the bells that it uses and the buildings that house it?