Love's Guide to the Church Bells of London

Welcome to the City of London section of Love's Guide. This site is maintained by Dickon Love as a place to record his research into belfry archaeology and history in the City of London. Information comes from many sources, and Dickon is grateful to all those who have contributed to this research, particularly Chris Pickford, David Cawley, the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and Taylors Eayre & Smith. It aims to cover all bells in the City of London, both extant and those lost to history.

BELL RESTORATION NEWS

St Katharine Cree, Leadenhall St

These bells have been unringable for upwards of 100 years. They were made temporarily ringable in 2007 to permit the start of a full restoration which is now ongoing. The 5th has been found to be cracked and has been welded. The tenor was tuned and all 6 returned to the tower in a new frame. Pictures

St Magnus the Martyr, London Bridge

A new ring of 12 bells has been returned to St Magnus 69 years after the old ring of 10 were taken out. The bells were consecrated on 3rd March 2009 and rung on Easter Day. Details of the new 12 and more pictures may be found here. This is the largest bell restoration seen in the City for decades.

St Botolph Bishopsgate

The tenor bell has been found to be cracked and is to be welded.

St Michael Cornhill

A faculty has been sought and funding offered for a new ring of bells to replace the current unsatisfactory ring. The new ring is intended to be lighter than the current ring, and a number of the older bells are planned to be retained in the tower.

LATEST SITE ADDITIONS

21st Dec - St Mary Aldermary, St James Garlickhythe, At Andrew by the Wardrobe, St Peter Cornhill, St Bartholomew the Less
10th Apr - Updates for St Magnus and St Katharine Cree
27th Jan - Pictures and more details from recent visits All Hallows-by-the-Tower, St Mary Abchurch, St Botolph Aldersgate, St Edmund Lombard St, St Helen's Bishopsgate, St Katherine Cree and St Margaret Lothbury.
3rd Dec - St Michael, Cornhill (inscriptions and photos), St Andrew's Holborn
7th Oct - Cripplegate (inscriptions)
4th Oct - Articles: Bow Bells, Bells & Chimes of the New Royal Exchange
18th Sept - Cripplegate sharp 2nd
24th Aug - Cripplegate sharp 2nd, St Magnus
28th Jun - St Paul's Cathedral - pictures and illustrated inscriptions showing shields
4th May - St Peter ad Vincula, St Benet Paul's Wharf, Temple Church, St Vedast, St Matthew Friday Street
30th Mar - Bells and Their Associations
21st Mar - St Katherine Cree (history), The Bells of St Mary le Bow, Cheapside, St Michael Cornhill (picture), St Giles Cripplegate (picture), St Dunstan in the East (picture)
26th Mar 05 - St Katherine Cree, St Bartholomew the Great, Holy Trinity Minories
25th Mar - St Antholin Budge Row, St Olave Hart St
28th Feb - St Dunstan in the West, All Hallows the Great

About the Editor

Dickon Love is an active bellringer in the City of London and is a member and Past Master of the Ancient Society of College Youths, who are responsible for ringing the bells at the major towers in the City. He is also a member of the Cambridge University Guild, the Middlesex County Association & London Diocesan Guild and the Kent County Association. His primary interest is in the history of bells and bell towers, and the focus of his research is on the the Cities of London and Westminster and the County of Kent. He is Tower Keeper at St Magnus the Martyr and St Mary Woolnoth, Churchwarden at St Magnus the Martyr and Parish Clerk of St Clement Eastcheap. He makes his living as a management consultant working in central government.