A bell

tent A tent () is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over, attached to a frame of poles or a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using gu ...

is a human shelter for inhabiting, traveling or leisure that has been used since 600AD. The design is a simple structure, supported by a single central pole, covered with cotton

canvas Canvas is an extremely durable plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, shelters, as a support for oil painting and for other items for which sturdiness is required, as well as in such fashion objects as handbags ...

. The stability of the tent is reinforced with tension by

guy ropes A guy-wire, guy-line, guy-rope, or stay, also called simply a guy, is a tensioned cable designed to add stability to a free-standing structure. They are used commonly for ship masts, radio masts, wind turbines, utility poles, and tents. A thi ...

connected around the top of the walls and being held down by pegs around the circumference to the ground. It has a circular floor plan of some 10 ft and larger.
The multiple sizes of bell tents can be suited to their use or preference and most have a spacious interior, with room to sleep a number of people.

History

Indigenous people from around the world have used canvas as a natural breathable material, with suitable properties for use in the elements. Canvas is durable and versatile. Today's modern canvas can be

waterproof Waterproofing is the process of making an object or structure waterproof or water-resistant so that it remains relatively unaffected by water or resisting the ingress of water under specified conditions. Such items may be used in wet environme ...

, mildew resistant, and

flame retardant The term flame retardants subsumes a diverse group of chemicals that are added to manufactured materials, such as plastics and textiles, and surface finishes and coatings. Flame retardants are activated by the presence of an ignition source a ...

. A version of the bell tent, the

sibley tent The Sibley tent was invented by the American military officer Henry Hopkins Sibley and patented in 1856. Of conical design, it stands about high and in diameter.Sibley, "Conical Tent" It can comfortably house about a dozen men. The Sibley des ...

was invented by Henry Hopkins Sibley, who had studied the Native American

tipi A tipi , often called a lodge in English, is a conical tent, historically made of animal hides or pelts, and in more recent generations of canvas, stretched on a framework of wooden poles. The word is Siouan languages, Siouan, and in use in Dakot ...

during the expeditions he carried out in the

American Old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...

. He patented his tent design in 1858. The bell tent is characteristically differentiated from the sibley tent by its walls, raised larger entrance and guy ropes, without the extendable tripod or smoke hole, which were characteristics of the tipi. Bell tents have become the classic type of accommodation used in modern luxury camping, or

glamping Glamping is a portmanteau of " glamorous" and "camping", and describes a style of camping with amenities and, in some cases, resort-style services not usually associated with "traditional" camping. Glamping has become particularly popular with ...

, often kitted out with electricity hook-up, double beds, carpeting, refrigeration units and even coffee machines.Wall Tents and Bell Tents for Glamping
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References

{{Tents House types Camping equipment Tents

History

See also

References