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The bells featured in Virtual Belfry are the original eight at St. David's Cathedral, Hobart, Australia. They were cast by John Taylor & Co. of Loughborough in 1935. The tenor of this notably melodious ring of bells weighs 14-3-19 (758kg) and is in the key of F sharp. There are also five fixed bells to make a chime of 13.

By agreement, a proportion of the profits from the sale of Virtual Belfry will be donated to the cathedral for maintenance of the tower and bells.

The photography for the program was completed in late 2004. Six months later the bells were on display downstairs, along with four more from the same foundry, while a new frame was being installed in the belfry. As a result of this augmentation, the scene presented in the program is truly virtual - it no longer exists!

The new installation is a ten in E, tenor 21-2-8 (1096kg), plus a sharp 3rd and a sharp 7th. The treble, 3rd, 7th and tenor are the four new bells. Bells 2 to 9, including both sharps, form the original octave. The tenor is a secondhand bell, cast in 1911; the other three are new, cast in 2002 and 2003.

For further information see the entry in Dove's Guide.

Although there is now a mobile lifting beam and a walkway around the walls at the level of the upper windows, prior to augmentation the 10m of space between bells and roof was inacessible, as this photograph shows. This had a significant bearing on the making of Virtual Belfry.

The Cathedral is located in central Hobart. Hobart's other tower, Holy Trinity Church, is also visible in this photograph.

The bells of both towers are rung regularly by the Hobart Bellringers.