Merton Delight Minor

About Merton Delight Minor

Merton Delight is a member of the group of methods having Norwich Surprise above the treble, below the treble, the structure is a somewhat tricky, fluid, treble bob method.

The 3rds place half lead makes 3 the pivot bell, and hence Reverse Bob / Primrose Surprise Lead End order.

Method Structure.

Place Notation:
X 34 X 14 X 12 X 16 X 14 X 36, LE 16, Bob 14, Single 1456.

Grid:

Diagram: Merton Delight 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 Merton Delight Minor.

Learning Merton Delight Minor.

The Rules

Assuming that Old Oxford Delight has already been learned:

Merton Delight Minor - the rules
Ring Old Oxford Delight above the treble but with 6ths Place Lead End:
Ring Rochester Treble Bob below the treble, but with a thirds place half lead.

Alternatively
Ring Bedford Delight with 6ths Place Lead End:

The Structure

The key to this method is the pivot bell work below the treble. Once the treble reaches 5-6 the fun begins (pivot bell in bold):
4ths: 1-4 hunting box - Treble in 5-6 up
3rds: 3-6 hunting box - Half Lead
4ths: 1-4 hunting box - Treble in 5-6 down

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 and Primrose Surprise Minor.

Merton Delight Minor, 1-2

Diagram: Merton Delight Minor, 1-2.

Merton Delight Minor, 3-4

Diagram: Merton Delight Minor, 3-4.

Merton Delight Minor, 5-6

Diagram: Merton Delight Minor, 5-6.

Artefacts

Note the 2 forms of the 4-bell hunting box:
1 - When Treble runs through 2-3 / 3-2
2 - When Treble works in 5-6 up, Lie, 5-6 Down

Place Notation and Grid

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

Section by Section

(To follow once more practise has been achieved).

Ringing Merton Delight 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 Merton Delight Minor. Some hints and tips for developing the skill are given in the techniques section.

Awareness of the position of the treble is useful as a method structure guide.
The key to the method is the treble dodging in 3-4.
In Merton D., when treble dodges in 3-4 the pivot bell is leading each time

Awareness of the position of the treble is useful as a structured counting technique. The back work for 4ths place bell is counted as: Section, cross-section, section, Lie behind (6ths P.B.) at the Lead End, section, cross-section, section.

Positional Awareness

Location 3rds and 4ths can be tricky in this fluid method.

Place Notation Elements

The method uses X, 12, 14, 16, 34, 36, but not 56.

Place Bells, Pivot Leads, and Staging posts

135264 LE 16: Reverse Bob; Nelson T.B.; Primrose Surprise

1-2: 1-2, 1-4, 1-6, 1-5, 1-3, 1-2
3-4: 3-4, 2-6, 4-5, 6-3, 5-2, 3-4
5-6: 6-5, 5-3, 3-2, 2-4, 4-6, 6-5

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

Awareness of other bells

The 4ths place cross-section along with Oxford places, create the nature of the method above the treble. Take care to ring the Oxford Places accurately to gain correct placement at the Lead End.

Coursing Order in Merton Delight Minor

Natural Coursing Order is preserved by the “Norwich above” nature of the work above the treble. Natural Coursing Order is well supported below the treble; starting with the pivot bell (3), the bells lead in natural coursing order until the pivot bell returns to lead.

Ringing the Method

Just enjoy it, it’s easier than expected because of so much natural coursing order and static work in 5-6.

Bobs and Singles.

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

Touches of Bedford Delight Minor.

Use bobs-only touches of Reverse Bob, or a touch that works to Primrose S.