Editing Derby Cathedral (section)

==Tower and bells==
Derby Cathedral has the oldest [[ring of bells|ring]] of ten bells in the world. Most of them have been there since 1678, when the number of bells was increased from six to ten. The largest bell weighs 19{{nbsp}}cwt (965{{nbsp}}kg), its note is D-flat and it is over 500 years old — older than the tower itself.<ref name=Bowler/> It is believed that it came from [[Dale Abbey]] in [[Borough of Erewash|Erewash]] in [[Derbyshire]] at the [[Dissolution of the Monasteries]]. The youngest bell, no.{{nbsp}}3, is dated 1693, so all the bells are over 300 years old. Bell no.{{nbsp}}8 was in [[Ashbourne, Derbyshire|Ashbourne]] parish church until 1815. A [[carillon]] in the tower uses the same bells to provide a tune at 9{{nbsp}}am, 12{{nbsp}}noon and 6{{nbsp}}pm.<ref name=bellringers>{{cite web|title=Derby Cathedral|url=http://www.derbyda.org.uk/tower-map/derby-cathedral|publisher=Derby Diocesan Association of Church Bellringers|access-date=3 March 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630160918/http://www.derbyda.org.uk/tower-map/derby-cathedral|archive-date=30 June 2013}}</ref> The bells used to hang in a wooden frame; when the church became a cathedral in 1927, the bells were retuned and rehung at a lower level in a new metal frame.

On 28{{nbsp}}October 1732, a Frenchman called Gillinoe 'flew' down on a rope from the top of All Saints' steeple. He did this on a number of occasions, landing variously at St{{nbsp}}Michael's church and at the bottom of St{{nbsp}}Mary's Gate. On one occasion an ass was sent down the rope, but it broke under the weight and a number of onlookers were injured.<ref>{{cite book |first=Stephen |last=Glover |year=1829 |title=History of the County of Derby Part 2 |page=609}}</ref>

On 25{{nbsp}}July 1940, a wartime [[barrage balloon]] broke loose from its moorings during a heavy storm and, as it floated past, its chain caught round one of the pinnacles on the tower and demolished the top half of the pinnacle.<ref>{{Cite book |date=n.d. | title = The Story of the cathedral church of All Saints Derby | publisher = The British Publishing Co Ltd, Gloucester | page = 26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Ominous-storms-lashed-Derby-eve-war-Chamberlain-kept-telling-nation/story-11641887-detail/story.html|title=Ominous storms lashed Derby on the eve of war|newspaper=Derby Telegraph|access-date=23 January 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924002232/http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Ominous-storms-lashed-Derby-eve-war-Chamberlain-kept-telling-nation/story-11641887-detail/story.html|archive-date=24 September 2015}}</ref>

In late 2005, it was discovered that a pair of [[peregrine falcon]]s had taken up residence on the cathedral tower. In 2006 a nesting platform was installed, and they nested there in April of that year. Webcams were installed in 2007, 2008 and 2013 to enable the birds to be seen at close range without being disturbed by human contact. The same pair successfully reared chicks every year up to and including 2016. However, on 27{{nbsp}}March 2017 it became clear that a new male had taken over the nesting platform and ousted his predecessor who, by that time, was at least 14{{nbsp}}years old. It is not known whether the first male died of old age, or was chased away or killed by the new one after a fight. The female accepted the new male and together they produced, somewhat later than in previous years, four eggs, three of which successfully hatched into one male and two female chicks.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://derbyperegrines.blogspot.co.uk/ |title=The Derby Cathedral Peregrine Project |publisher=Derbyshire Wildlife Trust |date=13 June 2016 |access-date=16 June 2016}}</ref>

In 2009, more than 150 members of the Derby Mountain Rescue Team abseiled down the tower for charity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.derbymrt.org.uk/news|title=Cathedral Abseil|publisher=Derby Mountain Rescue Team|access-date=11 February 2010}}</ref> Further sponsored abseils have taken place every year since, and in 2012 this included the Assistant Curate, Andy Trenier, and the Dean of Derby Cathedral, [[John Davies (priest, born 1957)|Dr John Davies]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Daredevil-duo-s-leap-faith-prepare-abseil/story-16725714-detail/story.html|title=Daredevil duo's leap of faith as they prepare to abseil cathedral|newspaper=Derby Telegraph|access-date=18 December 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219003623/http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Daredevil-duo-s-leap-faith-prepare-abseil/story-16725714-detail/story.html|archive-date=19 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.churchnewspaper.com/28047/archives/|title=Dean and Curate abseil down Derby Cathedral tower|newspaper=The Church of England Newspaper|access-date=18 December 2014|archive-date=1 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001182954/https://www.churchnewspaper.com/28047/archives|url-status=dead}}</ref>