The Church Bells of the City of London

ST MARY WOOLNOTH, Lombard Street

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3 ringing Bells
Tenor: 13? cwt approx. in G (765Hz)
Frame: 2 separate timber frames
Upstairs Ringing Room
? Recording 28th Nov, 2002
(Recorded Dickon Love)

 

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell

Weight

Diameter

Note

Cast

 Founder

1

 2 cwt approx. 20" A

1670

 William Eldridge

2

 4? cwt approx. 27?" F 1672 William Eldridge

3

 13? cwt approx. 41?" G 1670 William Eldridge

1 W. E. ME FECIT. 1670
2 WILLIAM ELDRIDGE MADE ME 1672
3 GVLIELMVS ELDRIDGE DE CHERTSEY ME FECIT 1670

HISTORY

1438

Church rebuilt on old foundations and consecrated by an Irish Bishop.

1539-40

Record of payment to clocksmith for keeping the chimes and mending baldrick of the 4th bell.

1552

Record of 5 bells ("Item in the steple five great bells and a litill bell wt a clock and a chyme and ropes to the same"). Also mention of a chime of sacring bells on a wheel.

1554-5

Record of the purchase of 2 sacring bells.

1560-1

Records mention a saunce bell.

1564-5

Records mention a payment "to a bell founder in hounediche" for trussing the bells.

1567-8

Records mention the payment to a bellfounder for "the mendinge of the Clapper of the Thirde bell and for hanginge of the bell right in the stocke".

1585-6

Records refer to paymentr for two stirropes for the tenor.

1595-6

Records give "Item for a Joice to hould steddy the fourth bell and for taking of the same bell out and putting the iron wedges".

1666

The Great Fire destroyed everything that could be burned, but the north wall and part of the east wall were rebuilt. The remainder was patched up as the parish was eager to gave the church ready for Divine Service.

1670

Treble and tenor cast. Parish united with St Margaret Haw.

1672

Middle bell cast.

1708

Record of "2 bells and the Saints".

1711

The building was found to be very unsafe, and as it was feared that it might fall, it was pulled down and rebuilt.

1716

New church completed by Nicholas Hawksmoor.

1727

Easter Day

Church reopened.

1824

Record of "3 bells".

1900

24th May

Church reopened. At this time the bells were rehung with new fittings.

1940

Church damaged in air raids, but not seriously.

1947

Bells overhauled by Mears & Stainbank.
Photo DrL 28th Nov 2002 Photo DrL 28th Nov 2002 Photo DrL 28th Nov 2002
The tenor (at the back) and the middle bell in the foreground. And in a separate frame, the treble. The ringing room (tenor rope on left, rung by Paul Carless, with David Baverstock on the treble). Ringing was provided by the Ancient Society of College Youths for the Annual Thanksgiving Service.
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An old engraving of the church.   The church in c.1920
(from Spitalfields Life).