- Number of bells: 35 (three octaves, omitting two bass semitones)
- Heaviest bell: tuned to D, 23 cwt (1220 kg)
- Transposition: up 2 semitones (A)
- Practice clavier: there is an identical practice clavier
- Construction: 1933, 1999, 2001, J. Taylor & Co., 2007, 2008, Taylor’s, Eayre & Smith
- Current carillonneur: John Gough, Roger Boulton, Steven Griffiths, Jack Parkinson and Andrew Thomas, Jonathan Galloway
- Address: York Minster, Deangate, York, YO1 7HH (view on Google Maps)
- Technical information about the bells: See relevant Dove’s Guide entry
Recitals
The carillon is normally played on weekdays from 4.45-5.10pm before Evensong.
history
The carillon at York Minster is based on a chime of eleven bells cast by Taylor’s in 1933 for St. Mary’s Church, Nelson, Lancashire. These were transferred to the Cathedral on the closure of that church in 1989. In 2008 twenty-four bells were added, together with a new bell frame, transmission and clavier to complete a carillon of thirty-five bells. Thirteen of these bells had previously been cast by Taylor’s between 1999 and 2001 for a mobile chime operated by David Potter, and had been tuned to match the “Nelson” chime at the time of their casting. Eleven additional bells were cast by Taylor’s, Eayre & Smith in 2007/2008.
The carillon is in the south west tower (on the left of the picture). The bells hang in two steel frames, one containing the 1933 bells and another one alongside it containing all the bells added in 2008. These are immediately above the change ringing peal, and the clavier is in the ringing chamber two floors below.