Stamford Surprise Minor

About Stamford Surprise Minor

Stamford Surprise is a member of the Westminster group of methods but having pure Norwich S. above the treble. Below the treble, the method is Wells Surprise, and Stamford is an excellent link between these two groups.

Method Structure.

Place Notation:
X 34 X 14 X 12 X 36.14X34.16, 16, Bob 14, Single 1456.

Grid:

Diagram: Stamford Surprise Minor, plain lead, change-rows and grid.

Goals and learning approach

What you are trying to achieve needs to drive your approach.

Ringing by structure

Get going:.
Use whatever learning approach you like most to acquire enough knowledge to ring a plain course. Ring a few and see what aspects of the method spring out, and study these. Practice until courses and simple touches are ringable.

Performance Level

If you are wishing to achieve 720s, Quarters, or peals:
start with the "get going" as above, add in the bits that are natural to you.
Study the Double Place Bell sequences, and the lines.
Practice a lot.
Achieve some performances .

Method Mastery Level

It is unusual for a band to wish to achieve mastery in a method like Stamford.

Learning Stamford Surprise Minor.

The Rules

Ring Norwich over Wells.

The Structure

Use of the grid is helped enormously by an ability to see the position of treble.

Stamford is a stepping stone between the Norwich above group and the Wells below group. Hence achieve performances in Wells and Norwich to ease your way into Stamford.

Alternatively learn Norwich and then Stamford is a stepping stone into ringing Wells below the treble in preparation for ringing pure Wells.

Double Blue Lines

The Double Blue Lines give a useful overview of the method, adding context which is helpful for overcoming trips.

The Double Place Bell sequences are identical with Reverse Bob Minor.

Stamford Surprise Minor, 1-2

Diagram: Stamford Surprise Minor, 1-2.

Stamford Surprise Minor, 3-4

Diagram: Stamford Surprise Minor, 3-4.

Stamford Surprise Minor, 5-6

Diagram: Stamford Surprise Minor, 5-6.

Artefacts

The Blue Line features worth noting are:

• The "London below" for 5-6 is delightful to ring.
• The "London below" for 3-4 is challenging.

Place Notation and Grid

The choice here is personal preference. The author’s preference is the visual nature of the grid.

Pictels

Section by Section

In the standard X12x (3-4 section), the pivot bell is leading both times..

Ringing Stamford Surprise Minor.

Track the treble

Awareness of the position of the treble is a key skill for most bellringing methods, and a significant help in ringing Stamford Surprise Minor. Some hints and tips for developing the skill are given in the techniques section.

Positional Awareness

Place Notation Elements

The method only contains X, 36, 12, 16, 34, but 36.14X34.16.34x14.36 might be challenge.

Place Bells, Pivot Leads, and Staging posts

3rds place bell is the pivot bell, see notes above.

Awareness of other bells

Coursing Order in Stamford Surprise Minor

Natural Coursing Order is maintained above the treble.
The treble skips the pivot bell between the 5-6 dodges. Below the treble, the pivot bell makes point 2nds over 4 bells in coursing order.

Ringing the Method

We have no advice other than learn the method thoroughly.

Bobs and Singles.

Bobs replace the 6ths place at the Lead End with 4ths as per Reverse Bob.

Touches of Stamford Surprise Minor.

3rds place bell is the pivot bell, and hence the first lead end is 135264 giving calling positions from the tenor as in Reverse Bob.