Church bells to toll across Derbyshire in memory of Prince Philip ahead of his funeral

Church bells will sound across Derbyshire as the county joins the nation in saying farewell to Prince Philip.
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The Duke of Edinburgh, who recently passed away aged 99, will be laid to rest on Saturday, April 17, at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.

Church bells will be heard across Chesterfield on Saturday afternoon at the Church of St Mary and All Saints, otherwise known as the Crooked Spire, St Bartholomew in Old Whittington, All Saints Church in Wingerworth, and St Peter and St Paul Church in Old Brampton.

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Other parts of Derbyshire will also join the nationwide tolling, including St Peter and St Paul Church in Eckington.

Tolling at St Peter and St Paul Church in Old BramptonTolling at St Peter and St Paul Church in Old Brampton
Tolling at St Peter and St Paul Church in Old Brampton

The Derby Diocesan Association of Church Bell Ringers said that, due to Covid restrictions, only one bell will be tolled at each of the churches involved.

“Following current covid guidelines only members of the same household are allowed in each bell tower,” a spokesperson said.

"For Prince Philip it is just one bell at each tower to comply with Covid guidelines, one bell rung very slowly is called tolling."

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One side of the clapper – the tool which hits the bell – has a leather muffle strapped on one of its sides, which results in the so-called “half-muffled” sound people across Derbyshire will hear on Saturday.

The spokesperson added: “The bells will ring alternatively loud and soft. Half-muffled makes a reflective, mournful sound and is used to remember those who have died such as at funerals and on Remembrance Sunday, but normally all of the bells in a tower are rung then.”

The bellringing will culminate in a minute's silence as the funeral starts at 3pm.

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