What the bell?

Explore the weird, the wonderful, and the whimsical at BellFest – from exclusive events and happenings, to behind-the-scenes access at some of the most fascinating historical sites in Washington, D.C.

Let Freedom Ring? You Bet!

At the National Bell Festival, “let freedom ring” is more than just a patriotic bon mot, it’s a call to action. Each Independence Day, we gather at the foot of the...

Bells of Historic Significance Can Be Retuned, Says Diocese of Durham

The medieval, Grade II-listed All Saints’ Church, Stranton, in the port town of Hartlepool, England, boasts a ring of eight merry peal bells ranging in size from 450...

Royal Shipwreck from 1682 Identified by Ship’s Bell

It was a bright and fresh morning. The HMS Gloucester was under full sail, bound for the Scottish capital at Edinburgh. The fluttering royal standard atop...

Great Paul Leads Bell Ringing Tribute at Platinum Jubilee

This weekend, Her Majesty The Queen is marking an extraordinary accomplishment: the first British monarch to celebrate 70 years on the throne with a Platinum Jubilee...

Bell from Sunken ‘Ship of Gold’ Returns to the U.S. Navy

In early September 1857, the SS Central America, a 280-foot sidewheel steamer, left the Panamanian port of Colón bound for New York City with 477 passengers...

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