The Bells of the City of London
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Love's
Guide to The Bells of the City of London |
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Details of the Bells |
| Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Retuned | ||
| ® | 1 | 6-1-19 | 31⅝" | C♯ | 1850 | Charles & George Mears, Whitechapel | Never | |
| ® | 2 | 7-0-14 | 33⅛" | B♯ | 1850 | Charles & George Mears, Whitechapel | Never | |
| ® | 3 | 8-1-20 | 35⅜" | A♯ | 1850 | Charles & George Mears, Whitechapel | Never | |
| ® | 4 | 9-0-24 | 37⅞" | G♯ | 1850 | Charles & George Mears, Whitechapel | Never | |
| ® | 5 | 11-1-1 | 40⅞" | F♯ | 1850 | Charles & George Mears, Whitechapel | Never | |
| ® | 6 | 13-1-22 | 43¼" | E♯ | 1850 | Charles & George Mears, Whitechapel | Never | |
| ® | 7 | 17-1-6 | 47⅝" | D♯ | 1850 | Charles & George Mears, Whitechapel | Never | |
| ® | 8 | 23-0-0 | 52" | C♯ | 1850 | Charles & George Mears, Whitechapel | Never | |
| ꓕ | Service bell | 4-3-7 | 26⅝" | G | 1804 | Thomas Mears I, Whitechapel | Never |
Bellframes |
| Position |
Frame | Bells | Year | Maker | Material | Truss(es) | Local Layout | |||
| Lower | 1 | Ring of 8 | 2016 | John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Cast iron |
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8.3 |
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| Upper | 2 | Service bell |
History |
| 1847 | The church was built by Benjamin Ferrey and completed in 1850. | ||
| 1850 | A ring of 8 bells was cast by Charles and George Mears and hung in the new tower in a new frame. The bells were donated to the church by Angela Burdett Coutts and cost ?820 13s. 2d. These bells were replicated in the now destroyed ring at New Westminster Cathedral, Canada, also given by Baroness Burdett-Coutts (as she became). The bells were opened on 24th June. [1] | ||
| 1918 | The bells were rehung and quarter turned by Mears & Stainbank. | ||
| 2016 | A complete restoration in the tower took place. The bells were cleaned, but not tuned, and provided with new fittings before being rehung in a new frame. New sound control was installed and a new service bell was purchased and installed in the tower. |
| [1] | Miss Burdett Coutts for St.Stephen's Church, Westminster. To a Peal of 8 Musical Church Bells 6-2-22, 7-1-18, 8-3-2, 9-2-13, 11-3-0, 14-0-2, 18-0-10, 24-0-18 (100-2-1) @ 14d £656.13.2., 8 Clappers £10, 8 Stocks, Wheels, Ironwork, Brasses, Rollers & Ropes £64, Oak frame making & fixing & hanging Bells £84, 8 extra rollers, 105 Yards line 17/-, 32 ft Oak 4 by 2 11/6 nails 2/2 C. Oliver Junr T. Hurry J. Hurry 1 day each £5.5.0., Boxes for ringers to stand upon Timber 5/7, Hurry - day nails 1/6 15s, total £820.13.2 (Whitechapel Day Book) |
Articles
The ringing room |
The ringing room. Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
The belfry before the restoration |
The belfry in 2006. Photo: Dickon R Love, 24 Dec 2006 |
The belfry in 2006. Photo: Dickon R Love, 24 Dec 2006 |
The belfry in 2006. Photo: Dickon R Love, 24 Dec 2006 |
View of the belfry looking liturgical north/west. Tenor in the foreground. Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
The 7th Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
Looking liturgical north. Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
Looking litergical west. Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
Ceiling of the belfry looking up to the spire floor. Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
Looking down at some of the pieces of framework. Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
The tenor. Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
The 4th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
The framework was patched up with timbers and subsequently strengthened with metal. Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
View of the entire belfry. Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
Looking up in the ringing where the clock case sits on a platform. Some of the ropes pass through this platform. Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
Photo: Dickon R Love, 21 May 2013 |
| Love's Guide to the Church Bells of the City of London | Page updated: 4 June 2023 |
