Stedman

Stedman is a commonly-rung wrong-place principle, ringable on odd stages. It has quite a simple structure, but remains difficult to compose and conduct. Despite this it has become popular, being rung to many peals each year.

History

Stedman is named for Fabian Stedman, who first described it.

Structure

Stedman Doubles: 3.1.5.3.1.3.1.3.5.1.3.1

Stedman is characterised by plain-hunting within the front three places, and double-dodging elsewhere. The lead of 12 changes can be divided into two blocks, or "sixes", which are termed Quick and Slow. The sixes are distinguished depending on the work of the front three bells - Quick sixes have right hunting, and Slow sixes have wrong hunting. Slightly inconveniently, the method is usually rung to start from the fourth row of a Quick six. The sixes are joined by plain hunting - n'ths place is made at handstroke.

Quick Six: n.1.3.1.3.1
Slow Six: n.3.1.3.1.3

The primary difficulty in ringing Stedman is in determining the type of six, which affects what to do when a ringer arrives at the front of the change. There are various ways of working this out.

Calls

Calls in Stedman Doubles are different to those on all other stages. A plain course of Stedman Doubles contains all in-course rows, so an extent can be easily constructed by calling a Single to swap a pair of bells, ringing the out-of-course rows, and then swapping the bells back with another single. This single is made in the middle of a six, and affects the two bells dodging behind. Unlike singles in Stedman on other stages, the calls in Doubles form a line of symmetry in the ringing.

Calls in Triples or higher stages alter the place made between the sixes. A [Bob] in Stedman Triples changes the 7ths place for 5ths, effecting a three-way rotation on the three back bells. A single replaces 7ths with the notation 567.

Composing and Conducting

Please see Conducting Stedman

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Stedman - Quick or Slow
Conducting Stedman