St Michael, Paternoster Royal

ST MICHAEL, PATERNOSTER ROYAL COLLEGE ST

Photo DrL May 2001

	1 Bell
	Weight: 2ž cwt approx. in A
	Hung for swing chiming in a small steel frame.
	Tower Stages: Basement - toilets Ground floor - offices 1st floor - offices 2nd floor - offices 3rd floor - offices 4th floor - air conditioning units 5th floor - belfry with bell Roof plus parapet plus spire
	Access: Staircase round inside of tower to 3rd floor Ladder to air conditioning units No access above that Also newell staircase in south east corner from ground floor to 2nd floor, belfry and parapet only.

DETAILS OF THE BELL

Bell	Weight	Diameter	Note	Cast	Founder
Single Bell	2ž cwt approx.	21˝"	A	1892	Mears & Stainbank

1. MEARS & STAINBANK, WHITECHAPEL FOUNDRY, LONDON.

CAST 1674, RECAST 1892

EARLIER BELL

Bell	Weight	Diameter	Cast	Founder	Fate
Single Bell	2˝ cwt approx.	23"	1674	John Hodson	Recast 1982

1. I. H. MADE ME 1674 PETER WANDEPOT THOMAS WATER IAMES SEAGLEY IOHN ROBINSON CHVRCH WARDENS

HISTORY

The church was rebuilt by Sir Richard Whittington, who founded there a College of St Spirit and St Mary, whence College Hill takes its name. That great citizen, who was Lord Mayor 4 times, died in 1423 and was buried in the chancel. His remains were disturbed in the reign of Edward VI by Thomas Mountain, the Rector, who broke open his monument in the hope of discovering great treasure concealed there. He failed to find any, so he tore off from the corpse the leaden sheet in which it was wrapped. When Queen Mary succeeded to the throne, this sacriligious parson was ejected and Whittington's body again covered in lead and honourably interred, and his monument replaced. It was destroyed in the fire of 1666. It is supposed that the pre-fire church had 6 bells.
1674	Bell cast by John Hodson.
1694	Body of the church completed.
1713	Tower added, reaching a height of 128ź feet.
1866	Church was restored.
1892	The Hodson bell was recast by Mears & Stainbank.
1968	Bell rehung in a small steel frame by Whitechapel. Its canons and cast-in crown staple were removed and half turned. The fittings consist of a wrought iron headstock, fixed steel gudgeons, ball bearings, iron lever, pulley and independent staple, all of 1968, and clapper of 1892 with new top end.

GALLERY


Photos, Dickon Love, 24th November, 2011