What is a Peal?

The pinnacle of achievement in ringing is a peal.  By definition a peal comprises at least 5,000 changes on 8 bells or more, with none of the changes repeated and bells moving no more than one place between changes.  On 7 bells or less the minimum changes to be rung is 5,040 being the mathematical result of factorial seven.   This means there are 5,040 ways of writing down 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 with no row of numbers repeated.  Only on 6 bells or less are changes allowed to be repeated (e.g. factorial 6 is 720), but there are strict rules regarding when changes can be repeated.  A peal will generally take about 3 hours of non-stop ringing.

At Oxton we are severely restricted on the number of peals that can be rung each year.  It is inevitable that some peal attempts are just that - attempts!  At Oxton it is perhaps more important to choose a band that can ring the chosen method, to ensure success.  However, a Quarter Peal takes about 45 minutes to ring with just 1250 changes or thereabouts.  We often ring Quarters for Thursday evening practices. 
Being the only 10-bell tower on the Wirral and having so few of our own ringers, we have a band of "regulars" from Heswall, West Kirby, Neston, Bebington, Bromborough and Port Sunlight  - apologies if anyone is left out! - who join us on Thursdays to extend their own knowledge of ringing.  What often happens is we meet to ring a 10-bell method (e.g. Cambridge Surprise Royal) and see how far we can get before someone goes wrong.  If we really want a Quarter Peal then we go for something we know we can get (e.g. Spliced Plain and Little Bob Royal).