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St Dunstan's Day
"Oranges and lemons,
Say the bells of St. Clement’s.
You owe me five farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin’s.
When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.
When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.
When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.
I do not know,
Says the great bell of Bow."
~ Traditional nursery rhyme
Clang! Clang! For St. Dunstan’s Day, the patron saint of bell ringers, we have a tartan inspired by St Giles' Cathedral in the heart of Edinburgh on the Royal Mile. Often called the “High Kirk of Edinburgh,” St Giles is one of Scotland’s most historically significant churches, closely tied to the Scottish Reformation and figures such as John Knox. Its distinctive crown-shaped steeple has become one of the best-known landmarks in Scotland. For centuries, the cathedral’s bells have marked civic ceremonies, royal occasions, festivals, and moments of remembrance across the city.
The grey stone tones of the St Giles’ Cathedral tartan evoke the ancient walls and crown steeple of Edinburgh’s historic High Kirk, while the fine red and blue overchecks bring touches of royal, civic, and ecclesiastical color to the design.
One of Scotland’s best-known bell-ringing traditions is centered at St Giles itself. The cathedral’s bell history stretches back at least to the 15th century and includes the famous “Great Bell of Saint Giles,” cast in Flanders in 1460. Additional bells were added in 1706 and 1728 to ring the quarters, and during the 18th and 19th centuries a large carillon of 23 bells hung in the tower. Although Scotland historically had fewer change-ringing towers than England, St Giles became an important center for Scottish campanology and remains closely associated with Edinburgh’s bell-ringing culture today.
Campanology — the art of bell ringing and especially change ringing — is a fascinating and surprisingly intricate tradition. Change ringing as we know it emerged in 17th-century England, when ringers developed full-circle tower bell ringing. By swinging the bells through wide arcs, they could precisely control the timing of each strike and continually vary the order of the bells, creating patterns known as “changes.” Over time, many sequences acquired colorful names: Rounds, Reverse Rounds, Queens (said to have been a favorite of Elizabeth I), Tittums for its lilting “ti-tum, ti-tum” rhythm, and even Weasels, inspired by “Pop Goes the Weasel.”
The world of bells also found its way into literature, most famously in The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers, where the mystery unfolds amid the resonant, echoing world of church bells and change ringing. 🖤 💙 ❤️ 🤍 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔
St Giles' Cathedral stands at the heart of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and is one of Scotland’s most historically important churches. Although often called a cathedral today, it has only officially held cathedral status at certain periods of its history. The church traces its origins to the 12th century, when King David I is believed to have founded a parish church on the site, dedicating it to Saint Giles, the medieval patron saint of the poor, beggars, and the disabled.
Over the centuries, St Giles became deeply woven into the civic and spiritual life of Edinburgh.The present building largely dates from the 14th and 15th centuries and is famous for its distinctive crown steeple, added in the late medieval period and now one of Scotland’s best-known architectural symbols. St Giles played a central role in the Scottish Reformation and is closely associated with John Knox, who served as minister there after Scotland broke with Rome in 1560.
Throughout its history, the cathedral has witnessed royal ceremonies, parliamentary events, civic celebrations, and national mourning. Its bells have rung across Edinburgh for centuries, marking everything from festivals and coronations to times of war and remembrance. The cathedral also became an important center for Scottish bell ringing traditions, with records of the “Great Bell of Saint Giles” dating back to the 15th century.
Saint Dunstan was one of the most influential churchmen of Anglo-Saxon England and later became closely associated with craftsmen, metalworkers, and bell ringers. Born around 909, Dunstan was educated at Glastonbury and became renowned not only for scholarship and religious devotion, but also for his remarkable skill as a smith and metalworker. Medieval legends describe him forging sacred objects with his own hands and even famously seizing the Devil with red-hot tongs during a temptation.Dunstan eventually became Abbot of Glastonbury, then Bishop of Worcester and London, before being appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in 960. He was a major force behind the revival and reform of monastic life in England, helping restore learning, liturgical order, and church discipline after periods of political instability.
During this time, church bells were central to daily religious life, calling communities to prayer and regulating the rhythms of worship. Because of Dunstan’s connection to metalworking and church ritual, bell founders and ringers gradually adopted him as a patron figure. His feast day, May 19, became associated in many places with campanology and bell-ringing traditions.
For more on the St Giles' society of Change Ringers, click the steeple!