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The British Horological Institute Limited

Chime and Carillons

Edited by TChimes.Harrison-Smith MBHI and Eliot Isaacs FBHI

This page is based on an article published in the Horological Journal in December 1941. The idea is that most repairers will only come across one or two sets of chimes during their general repairing lives. However, there are times when you will come across a chime that you have not seen before. This page therefore will show the hammer sequence for both the most usual chimes found and a lot of unusual chimes that you might never come across. Each chime will show the following.

  1. A sound file that imitates the chime so that you can hear what the chime sounds like. When you click on the note symbol the tune will play. Please note that if you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer you will need to turn off the background music first by selecting 'Switch off music' on the navigation bar (if shown)

  2. The different hammer sequences for all 4 quarters (if applicable)

  3. Which note applies to the hammer number

Notes:
The hammers are numbered in such a way that the longest chime rod (or lowest note/bell) is number 1. These do not take into account the striking hammer, which is often a few notes lower than the lowest note of the chime sequence.
All the sound files are in MIDI format. To listen to these you need a sound card and a program that handle midi. If you use Microsoft Internet Explorer, this is usually built in. If you use Netscape's Navigator, then you will probably need an extra plug in. One that should work is Midigate.

For Ships clocks striking sequence there is a separate page.

Please Note: This page is not complete yet and will be updated as time allows. This may well take some time. Your comments would be gratefully received

Two Bell Chimes

 Tin Tan
This chime is usually sounded once on the quarter, twice on the half hour and three times on the 3rd quarter. In some cases it is the sounded 4 times on the hour, but it can be left off to prevent confusion with the striking of the hours. Chimes
1st Quarter 2,1
2nd Quarter 2,1, 2,1
3rd Quarter 2,1 2,1, 2,1
4th Quarter 2,1 2,1, 2,1, 2,1
Notes: 1= B 2= C

Three Bell Chime

 Hampstead Chimes
1st quarter 3,2,1
2nd quarter 3,2,1, 1,3,2
3rd quarter 3,2,1, 1,3,2, 1,2,3
4th quarter 3,2,1, 1,3,2, 1,2,3, 2,3,1
Notes: 1=D 2=F 3=A
Nafferton Chimes
1st quarter 1,2,3,1
2nd quarter 3,1,2,3, 3,2,3,1
3rd quarter1,3,2,1, 1,2,1,3, 1,2,3,1
4th quarter 3,1,2,3, 3,1,2,1, 3,2,1,2, 1,2,3,1
Notes: 1=F# 2=G# 3=A#

Four Bell Chimes

Copenhagen Chimes
 1st quarter 4,3,2,1
2nd quarter 1,3,4,2, 1,2,3,4
3rd quarter 1,2,3,4, 4,3,2,3, 3,4,2,1
4th quarter 1,3,4,2, 1,2,3,4, 4,3,2,3, 3,4,2,1
Notes: 1=E 2=G 3=A 4=B
Dorking Chimes
 1st quarter 4,2,3,1
2nd quarter 3,2,4,1, 2,4,3,1
3rd quarter 4,3,2,1, 2,3,4,1, 4,2,3,1
4th quarter 3,2,4,1, 2,4,3,1, 4,3,2,1, 2,3,4,1
Notes: 1=Bb 2=C 3=D 4=Eb
Lostwithiel Chimes
 1st quarter 4,2,3,1
2nd quarter 2,3,4,1, 2,1,4,3
3rd quarter 4,3,2,1, 2,3,1,2, 4,2,3,1
4th quarter 2,3,4,1, 2,1,4,2, 4,3,2,1, 2,3,1,2
Notes: 1=Bb 2=C 3=Db 4=Eb
Parsifal
 1st quarter 4,2,3,1
2nd quarter 4,2,3,1, 4,2,3,1
3rd quarter 4,2,3,1, 4,2,3,1, 4,2,3,1
4th quarter 4,2,3,1, 4,2,3,1, 4,2,3,1, 4,2,3,1
Notes: 1=C 2=Eb 3=F 4=Ab
Potsdam Chimes
 1st quarter 1,2,2,3,3,4,3,2
2nd quarter 1,2,2,3,3,4,3,2 1,2,2,3,3,4,3,2
3rd quarter 1,2,2,3,3,4,3,2, 1,2,2,3,3,4,3,2, 1,2,2,3,3,4,3,2
4th quarter 1,2,2,3,3,4,3,2, 1,2,2,3,3,4,3,2, 1,2,2,3,3,4,3,2, 1,2,2,3,3,4,3,2
Notes: 1=C 2=F 3=G 4=A
Silchetser Chimes
 1st quarter 4,3,2,1
2nd quarter 4,3,2,1, 2,1,4,3
3rd quarter 1,3,2,4, 1,4,3,2, 4,1,2,3
4th quarter 2,4,3,2, 3,2,1,4, 3,4,1,2, 4,2,3,1
Notes: 1=F# 2=G# 3=A 4=C#
Westminster (or Cambridge) Chimes
1st quarter 4,3,2,1
2nd quarter 2,4,3,1, 2,3,4,2
3rd quarter 4,2,3,1, 1,3,4,2, 4,3,2,1
4th quarter 2,4,3,1, 2,3,4,2, 4,2,3,1, 1,3,4,2
Notes: 1=D 2=G 3=A 4=B

Five Bell Chimes

 Canterbury Cathedral Chimes
1st quarter 4,3,2,1
2nd quarter 1,3,4,2, 1,2,3,4
3rd quarter 1,2,3,4, 4,3,2,3, 3,4,2,1
4th quarter 1,3,4,2, 1,2,3,4, 4,3,2,3, 3,4,2,1
Notes: 1=E 2=G 3=A 4=B
Fort Augustus NB
 1st quarter 3,2,4,3
2nd quarter 3,2,4,3, 3,2,4,5
3rd quarter 3,2,4,3, 3,2,4,5, 5,3,4,3
4th quarter 3,2,4,3, 3,2,4,5, 5,3,4,3, 1,3,4,3
Notes: 1=A 2=B 3=C 4=D 5=C
Gonville and Caius Chimes
 1st quarter 2,1
2nd quarter 1,2,4,3
3rd quarter 4,5,4,3,1,2
4th quarter 1,3,4,5,3,1,2,3
Notes: 1=C 2=D 3=F 4=C 5=A
Keighley Chimes
 1st quarter 4,3,2,1
2nd quarter 4,3,2,1, 3,1,2
3rd quarter 5,3,2,1, 2,3,2,1
4th quarter 3,2,1, 5,3,2,1, 2,3,2,1
Notes: 1=F 2=G 3=A 4=Bb 5=C
Lourdes (Ave Maria) Chimes
 1st quarter 3,2,2,1
2nd quarter 3,2,2,1, 3,2,2,1
3rd quarter 3,2,2,1, 3,2,2,1, 3,2,2,1
4th quarter 1,4,4,3 3,2,2,2, 5,3,4,4,3, 3,2,2,3,2,1
Notes: 1=F 2=G 3=A 4=Bb 5=C
Norwich Chimes
 1st quarter 5,4,3,2,1
2nd quarter 1,2,5,4,3, 4,1,3,2,1
3rd quarter 1,2,3,5,1, 3,5,4,2,3, 1,2,4,3,1
4th quarter 5,2,3,4,1, 2,3,4,3,5, 1,5,4,3,2, 4,3,2,1,5
Notes: 1=F# 2=G# 3=A 4=B 5=C#
Palmers Green Chimes
 1st quarter 5,3,4,2,5,3,1
2nd quarter 5,3,4,2,5,3,1, 2,3,4,3,2,5,3,1
3rd quarter 5,3,4,2,5,3,1, 2,3,4,3,2,5,3,1, 5,3,4,2,5,3,1
4th quarter 5,3,4,2,5,3,1, 2,3,4,3,2,5,3,1, 5,3,4,2,5,3,1, 2,3,4,3,2,1
Notes: 1=F 2=G 3=A 4=Bb 5=C
R.C. Church Cambridge Chimes
 1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter
Stoke St GregoryChimes
 1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter
Tennyson (or Carafx) Chimes
1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter
Notes: 1=A 2=B 3=C 4=E

Six Bell Chimes

Canterbury Chimes
 1st quarter 6,4,2,5,3,1
2nd quarter 2,4,6,3,1, 5, 4,6,2,5, 1,4
3rd quarter 1,6,4,1,3, 5,4,6,2,5, 1,3,6,4,2, 3,5,1
4th quarter 3,1,6,4,2, 5,4,6,2,5, 1,3,3,1,6, 4,2,5,4,6, 5,2,3,1
Notes: 1=D 2=E 3=F# 4=G 5=A 6=C
Kroonstad Chimes
 1st quarter 1,3,5
2nd quarter 6,5,4,3,2,4,3
3rd quarter 5,4,3,2,1,2,3,4,5,3,4,5
4th quarter 1,2,3,4,5,4,3,6,5,4,3,2,1,2
Notes: 1=E 2=F# 3=G#, 4=A 5=B 6=C#
Trinity Chimes
 1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter
Winchester Chimes
 1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter

Seven Bell Chime

 Eaton Socon Chimes
 1st quarter 2,3,1,4
2nd quarter 2,3,1,4, 5,6,4,7
3rd quarter 2,3,1,4, 5,6,4,7, 6,5,7,1
4th quarter 2,3,1,4, 5,6,4,7, 6,5,7,1, 5,6,4,2
Notes: 1=D 2=E 3=F 4=G 5=A 6=B 7=C

Eight Bell Chimes

British Grenadiers
 1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter
Cairo Chimes
 All quarters 3,4,5,6,5, 4,3,2,3,1, 5,8,7,6,5, 4,3,2,1,2, 3,4,2,2,3, 2,1,4,3,2, 3,5,8,5,6, ,7,8,7,6, 5,3,1,4,3, 2,1
Notes: 1=F 2=G 3=A 4=Bb 5=C 6=D 7=E 8=F
Denstone College Chimes
 1st quarter 8,6,4,5
2nd quarter 3,8,7,6,5,3,2,4,3
3rd quarter 8,6,5,3,2,4,3,5,6,8,7,5,8
4th quarter 1,8,7,6,5,4,3,8,7,6,5,3,2,3,4,6,5,2,3,4,5,8,7,6,5,3,5
Notes: 1=C 2=D 3=E 4=F 5=G 6=A 7=B 8=C
Guilford Chimes
 1st quarter 8,3,4,5
2nd quarter 3,5,8,7, 2,4,6,5,3
3rd quarter 8,5,6,3, 4,2,5,3,6, 4,5,7,8
4th quarter1,5,3,8,7,6,5,3,4,6,2,5,3,4,5,8,7,6,5,3,1,8,7,5,6,2,5
Notes: 1=C 2=D 3=E 4=F 5=G 6=A 7=B 8=C
Magdalen College Chimes
 1st quarter 7,8
2nd quarter 7,8,1,5
3rd quarter 5,6,4,3,6,2
4th quarter 5,6,4,3,5,2,7,8
Notes: 1=C 2=D 3=E 4=F 5=G 6=A 7=B 8=C
Notre Dame Chimes
 1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter
New College Chimes
 1st quarter 6,2
2nd quarter 1,2,6,5
3rd quarter 6,4,2,5,3,1
4th quarter 1,3,2,5,4,6,7,5,8
Notes: 1=C 2=D 3=E 4=F 5=C 6=A 7=B 8=C
St Michaels Chimes
 1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter
 
The Jones Boys Chimes
 1st quarter 6,6,11,1
2nd quarter 1,5,6,5,4,3,5,6,5,6,4,3
3rd quarter 7,7,7,5,7,7,7,8,9,10,11,5,6,7,4,3,2,1
4th quarter 1
Notes: 1=A 2=B 3=C# 4=D 5=E 6=E 7=F# 8=G# 9=G# 10=A 11=A

Ten Bell Chimes

Beverly Chimes
 1st quarter 6,7,4,3,6, 2,7,8,1,5, 9,10
2nd quarter 3,5,6,4,2, 9,10,8,1,6, 2, 8,5,3,6, 5,10,9,7,8
3rd quarter 3,4,5,6,8, 7,2,4,6,3, 10,9,8,7,5, 3,6,5,8,7, 6,5,4,3,5, 4,2,6,7,8, 5,3,1
4th quarter 4,8,1,5,10, 9,8,7,6,5, 2,1,4,3,8, 10,1,5,4,3, 1,6,2,7,9, 10,8,6,4,2, 7,5,3,1,2, 6,5,7,8,9,10
Notes: 1=C 2=D 3=E 4=F 5=G 6=A 7=B 8=C 9=D 10=E
Derby Chimes
 1st quarter 5,6,3,8,2,7,4,1
2nd quarter 8,6,4,2,7,5,3,1, 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
3rd quarter 8,4,7,3,6,2,5,1, 3,5,6,4,7,9,10,8, 5,6,3,8,2,7,4,1
4th quarter 8,6,4,2,7,5,3,1, 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1, 8,4,7,3,6,2,5,1, 3,5,6,4,7,9,10,8
Notes: 1=C 2=D 3=E 4=F 5=G 6=A 7=B 8=C 9=D 10=E
Preston Chimes
 1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter

Eleven Bell Chimes

Trowbridge Chimes
 1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter
Whittington (Bow) Chimes
 1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter
Whittington (American Version) Chimes
 1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter

Carillons

Mailines Chimes
 1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter
Elite
 1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter

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