Editing Change ringing (section)

===Number of bells===<!--[[Doubles (bells)]] and [[Triples]] redirect directly here.-->
Methods of change ringing are named for the number of working bells, or the bells that switch order within the change. It takes a pair to switch, and commonly the largest bell (the tenor) does not change place. For example, there may be six bells, only five of which work, allowing for only two pairs. A method of ringing for these bells would be called ''doubles''. Doubles is the most common group of methods rung in the [[United Kingdom]], since the majority of [[parish church]]es with bell towers in the UK are fitted with only six bells.

"Plain Bob Doubles" is a method rung on five bells whereas "Plain Bob Triples" is the same method rung on seven working bells.

There are two separate ways to refer to the number of bells. One way is used for even numbers, the other for an odd number.

{| class="wikitable" style="float: left; margin: 1em;"
|-
!colspan="2"|Even numbers of bells
|-
! Number of bells
! Name
|-
|  4
| Minimus
|-
|  6
| Minor
|-
|  8
| Major
|-
| 10
| Royal
|-
| 12
| Maximus
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="float: left; margin: 1em;"
|-
!colspan="2"|Odd numbers of bells
|-
! Number of bells
! Name
|-
|  3
| Singles
|-
|  5
| Doubles
|-
|  7
| Triples
|-
|  9
| Caters
|-
| 11
| Cinques
|}
{{clearboth}}

The name for 9 bells is pronounced "kate-ers" and comes from the French "quatres". The name for 11 bells also comes from the French and is pronounced "sinks" cf. [[Cinque Ports]].

The names refer to the number of bells which change places in each row.  With three bells only one pair can change, and so it is singles. With seven bells there are clearly three pairs with the one left over not moving this row.