The Church Bells of the City of London

ST ANTHOLIN, BUDGE ROW, WATLING ST

Formerly 2 bells
Tenor: 10-1-23 in G
Church demolished 1874-6. Spire top now at Sydenham
Bells transferred to St Antholin, Nunhead in 1874 (retuned 1925 Whitechapel)
Bells later transferred to Ss Anthony and Silas, Peckham Rye in 2003 (Hayward Mills)

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell

Weight

Diameter

Note

Cast

 Founder

Larger Bell

 10-1-23 38½" G

1717

 Richard Phelps

Smaller Bell

 1½ cwt approx. 19½" B

1717

 Richard Phelps

INSCRIPTIONS
L. ROBERT LVSINBY A. M. RECT: T. HOLLAND I. ROBERTS CH W. OF ST ANTHOLINS.
I. EALD P. DESCHAMPES CH WS OF ST IOHN BAPTIST. R. PHELPS FECIT 1717.
S. R. PHELPS FECIT. 1717

It is not known how the inscription was arranged on the larger bell. Stops appear beneath the raised letters. A colon appears beneath the "H" in the first "CH".

BELLS AS REHUNG AT NUNHEAD (2003)

Bell

Weight

Diameter

Note

Cast

 Founder

Larger Bell

 11-0-15 395/8" G

1925

 Mears & Stainbank

Smaller Bell

 1-1-25 19½" B

1717

 Richard Phelps
L.
CAST A. D. 1717. R. P. LONDON. R. LASINBY, RECT : wc1923.jpg (2327 bytes)

RECAST AS THE GIFT OF MISS ELIZ: J. HOLMES. 1925
S. R. PHELPS FECIT. 1717

HISTORY

1119

Church first recorded.

c.1400

Church rebuilt.

1552

Record of 5 bells and 2 sanctus bells ("v bells one greater than another and ij smalle sanctus belles").

1578-9

A "small bell for morninge service" was purchased from Whitechapel and hung in the tower. It weighed 1-2-16.

1599-1600

A bell may have been recast.

1607-8

The tenor and the sanctus bell were recast. The frame was repaired by Philip Walton, Carpenter.

1625-6

The tenor was again recast and other work took place in the tower.

1649-50

The tenor was recorded as being "in danger of falling", so it was taken down.

1651-2

The tenor was recast by William Eldridge and hung by Mr Turner. The bells were "tewned" by Mr Blackwell.

1666

Church destroyed in the Great Fire.

1668-9

The bell metal and lead from the church roof was removed and stored.

1672

31 cwt of bell metal was sold and a new bell was purchased from Mr Hudson.

1678-84

Church rebuilt by Wren, his finest parish church.

1687-88

Spire added.

1708

Record of 1 bell.

1714

Record of 1 bell.

1717

2 bells cast by Richard Phelps.

1874

Church demolished under the Union of Benefices Act (a protest temporarily saved the tower).

1876

Tower demolished. A memorial to it stood on the site: it is now in St Mary Aldermary. The spire was sold to a gentleman at Sydenham for £50. The top part of it still stands in Sydenham.

1878

11th May

The successor church of St Antholin, Nunhead was consecrated. The 2 bells from the city church were transferred here.

1925

Tenor recast at Whitechapel at a cost of £69.9s.7d.

1940

27th/28th Dec.

Church gutted by incendiaries.

1957

Bells taken down and rehung on RSJs in the angle between two walls by Mears & Stainbank.

1957

12th Oct.

Church reconsecrated and the name was changed to St Anthony.

2001

Parish united with that of St Silas, Peckham Rye (St Silas church was demolished).

2003

A new church (Ss Anthony and Silas, Nunhead) was built on the old St Silas Site. It has a stone clad steel tower wherein the two bells were rehung "dead" for electrical operation. The work was carried out by Hayward Mills Associates.

PHOTOGRAPHS

antholin_budge2.jpg (40415 bytes)

The Nunhead bells (treble formerly from St Antholin) in Hayward Mills' workshop. Bells from St Leonard, Shoreditch can also be seen.
Photo 2003 HMA The two bells.
Photo 2003 HMA Photo 2003 HMA
The larger bell (recast since leaving St Antholin's). The smaller, original St Antholin's bell.