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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All Hallows London Wall, London Wall
 Photo: ASCY archive
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Details of the Bells |
| Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Retuned | ||
| Service Bell | 12 cwt approx. | 40³⁄₁₆" | 1766 | Lester & Pack, Whitechapel | Never | |||
| Sanctus | 2½ cwt approx. | 21⅛" | 1766 | Lester & Pack, Whitechapel | Never |
Inscriptions |
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Prior to new bells in 1766 |
| Bell | Weight | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Retuned | Fate | |
| Treble (of 4) | Unknown | Presumably recast 1766. | ||||||
| 2nd (of 4) | Unknown | Presumably recast 1766. | ||||||
| 3rd (of 4) | Unknown | Presumably recast 1766. | ||||||
| Tenor (of 4) | Unknown | Presumably recast 1766. | ||||||
| Sanctus | Unknown | Presumably recast 1766. |
History |
| 1455 | Published accounts suggest that there were 5 bells and a sanctus, including a Mary Bell (mentioned 1480) & Ave bell (mentioned 1510). The Little bell or treble (mentioned 1455) and the sanctus (1487 and 1497) and a sacring bell "before the rood" in 1495. | ||
| 1552 | Record of 4 large bells and a small one. [1] | ||
| 1666 | The church escaped the Great Fire. | ||
| 1708 | Record of 4 bells hung for ringing and a smaller bell. [2] | ||
| 1764 | The church was demolished as it was in a ruinous state. | ||
| 1766 | The present bells were cast. The smaller one was hung in the cupola. | ||
| 1767 | The new church was consecrated on 8 Sept. It was built under the direction of George Dance Junior. | ||
| 1891 | The church was reopened on 14 July. [3] | ||
| 1895 | The interior of the church was renovated. | ||
| 1940 | The church was damaged by a blast during the War. The small bell was placed in the crypt. | ||
| 1962 | The church was restored. The larger bells was rehung dead by Mears & Stainbank in the early timber frame. |
| [1] | "Four large bells and a small one" (Edwardian Inventory, 1552) |
| [2] | "Four bells to ring in peal, besides a small one" () |
| [3] | (Church of England Year Book) |
Gallery |
Old engraving. Photo: |
| Love's Guide to the Church Bells of the City of London | Page updated: 13 October 2019 |