Double Grandsire Doubles

This interesting method is not rung very often, but should be enjoyable to ring and musically rewarding. As its name suggests, it is almost identical to Grandsire, but has places made in thirds and a dodge on the front when the treble hunts back down. The plain course looks like this:

​

12345      12453      12534

21354      21435      21543

23145      24153      25134

32415      42513      52314

34251      45231      53241

43521      54321      35421

34512      45312      53412

43152      54132      35142

41325      51423      31524

14235      15243      13254

12453      12534      12345

​

The bobs and singles are just the same as in normal Grandsire Doubles. However, it is not possible to devise a true 120 in the method by using these calls. True 120s of normal Grandsire Doubles are possible because the B-Blocks (bob courses) of that method are only 2 leads long, and so do not run false against each other when joined together by plain leads. But in Double Grandsire Doubles, the B-Blocks and P-Blocks (plain courses) are both 3 leads long, so one In-Course B-Block will always run false against another In-Course B-Block. The Same for P-Blocks (this is why 120s of normal Grandsire Doubles based on P-Blocks are also impossible.)

 

But true 240s of Double Grandsire, in which every change occurs twice - once at handstroke and once at backstroke - are possible. A. J. Pitman, the greatly revered composer, seems to have been the first to have discovered these 240s. He devised three different 240s, and I'm sure that with a mind like his, these are the only ones obtainable, with any other 240 just being a variation of one of these three. The first peal in the method seems to have been the one by Pitman's band at St. Thomas, Neath, in July 1958, in which the conductor called 19 different variations of the three 240s - no mean feat. On the one hand we must be careful not to assume that the method hadn't been rung before 1958. But on the other hand, as a true 120 is not possible and 240s had not become acceptable until shortly before that time, it is fairly likely that the method would have been rejected by the earlier composers.

 

Here are the three 240s, as they appeared in a handwritten letter, still extant, from Pitman to Gwyn I Lewis:

 

    240 (1)                 240 (2)                 240 (3)

  2345        2345        2345   

  2453      - 3425      - 3425

  2534      s 2435      s 2435

- 5324      - 4325      - 4325

s 2354        4253        4253

  2543        4532      - 2543

- 5423      - 5342      - 5423

  5234      s 4352        5234

s 3254        4523      s 3254                 

  3542      - 5243        3542

  3425      - 2453      - 5432

s 2435        2534      s 3452

- 4325      - 5324      - 4532

  4253      s 2354      - 5342

  4532        2543      s 4352

- 5342      - 5423        4523

s 4352        5234      - 5243

  4523      s 3254      - 2453

- 5243        3542        2534

  5432      - 5432      - 5324

s 3452      s 3452      s 2354

  3524        3524      - 3524

  3245        3245        3245

s 4235      s 4235      s 4235

- 2345      - 2345      - 2345

​

​

Do give it a try, either for Sunday Service ringing or at a practice night, or in a peal or quarter. In addition to the 240s you can call a touch of 60 changes (BBS x 2), or simply stick to the plain course. You still get those lovely sounding Grandsire lead ends, and it will be much nicer to listen to than Bob Doubles. (In case I've made a mistake, check the truth and accuracy of the 240s before you call them.)