Why do church bells ring at the top of the hour?

Answer 1

Chuch bells have a fairly long history of use in such capacities as calling for worship, signalling times of prayer, telling the time, warning of danger, etc. The reason is pretty straightforward: Nobody had watches, etc., back in the days when the practice of church bell ringing was first popularized.

It is really not all that common to hear church bells ringing at the top of every hour unless the church doubles as a type of civic center (as in many cities designed with a central square occupied by a church). Perhaps more common today in that capacity is the university campanile or town hall clock tower or other such structure.

At any rate, concerning church bells: Paulinus, bishop of Nola, a town of Campania, in Italy supposedly introduced the ringing of bells in a Christian chuch as early as the 400s. In 604, the use of bells in churches was sanctioned by Pope Sabinian, and a ceremony for blessing them was established a little later. (http://landru.i-link-2.net/.../church_bells.htm ) It should be said that the bells were not rung on the hour in these cases. They were used strictly for religious purposes. The first church tower erected expressly for bells was supposedly that erected by Pope Stephen II (752-757) in Rome. (www.adoremus.org/1001bells.ht ml)

The most common use for church bells historically were for calling the faithful to worship. For example, bells are rung to mark the times for the Angelus (a mostly Cathoilic practice) at 6 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m. Also, bells have historically been rung to mark particular times during the weekly or daily services. (Most commonly before a service or mass, marking a funeral or wedding, marking times of prayer)

To sum up, the most common times to hear a church bell ringing are before services and daily at around 6 a.m., around noon and around 6 p.m. Some churches will sound the bells to mark times of prayer (up to ten times a day). The schedule varies for each church, but here's one example:
6:00 am -- Vigils (and Angelus)
7:15 am -- Lauds (Morning Prayer)
7:45 am -- Breakfast
11:45 am -- Mass
12:20 pm -- Lunch
1:05 pm -- Daytime Prayer
5:15 pm -- Vespers (Evening Prayer)
5:45 pm -- .Dinner
7:15 pm -- Compline (Night Prayer)

You can see how medieval townspeople would have relied on church bells to schedule their days.

I would venture to say that if you hear bells marking the hour, they are likely not coming from a church, but from a "secular" building. If they are coming from a church, you live near an unusual church.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

So people will at least know it's the top of the hour

Answer 4

Used to be the only clock in town was at the church.

Answer 5

So people know what time it is.

There was a time when not everyone had a clock, or could maintain hourglasses/timed candles.

Plus, it told the monks when to do their prayers throughout the day.

Now it is just sort of tradition.

Answer 6

It is a way of informing people that the new hour has arrived

Answer 7

Because the neighbours won't stand for it going off every 15 minutes.

Answer 8

Don't know about the bells but your avatar is pretty cool.

Answer 9

Because, It muffles the sounds of the screaming altar boys?

Answer 10

just to announce the top of the hour I guess