Love's Guide to the Church Bells of the City of London

St Bartholomew the Less, Smithfield

3 bells hung dead in old ringing frame and rung with Ellacombe hammers
Tenor: 6¾ cwt approx. in B.
Grid Ref: TQ318816
Frame: Late 16th Century. Long-headed with king posts, curved braces from post to sill, end-posts, and curved braces from braces to end-posts.
Diocese: London
Building Listed Grade: II*. Click for Heritage details.

Details of the Bells

	Bell	Weight (most recent)	Diameter	Note	Date	Founder	Retuned
ꓕ	Treble	3-2-12	26"	D♯	1869	Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel	Never
ꓕ	2	5-0-0	29¼"	C♯	1390	John Langhorne	Never
ꓕ	Tenor	6-3-0	33½"	B	1420	Richard Crouch	Never
ꓕ	Sanctus	1¾ cwt approx.	19⁷⁄₁₆"	B♭	1825	Thomas Mears II, Whitechapel	Never

ꓕ - Hung dead

How the bells are tuned

History

c	1380		Date of the current middle John Langhorne bell, and according to Walters, the former treble was also a similarly dated Langhorne bell.
c	1420	15th Cent	Date of tower (10¼ feet square). The current tenor dates from this period.
	1789		The interior of the church entirely remodelled by the younger Dance. The frame probably dates from this time. It has pits for 5 bells (4 parallel and 1 transverse), all of which have been occupied at some point.
	1823		Church practically rebuilt.
	1825		Sanctus bell cast.
	1869		The treble of the 3 bells was recast by Whitechapel. [1]
	1941		The 2 larger bells were taken to Cleeve Abbey for safety. They were returned and hung dead in the frame. Some years later (1970s-2000s, not known) the Sanctus bell was removed from its pit between the main frame and the louvre centre post and hung in one of the empty pits for swinging. [2]
	1951		The bells were returned to the belfry and hung stationary with chiming hammers. [3]

[1]	W.H.Cross, St.Bartholomew's Hospital. To a Bell 3-2-12 @ £70/0/0 £25.5.0 taking down old bell, fitting stock & Clapper, hanging new bell, inscription & all charges £5. Total £30.5.0" "W.H.Cross, St.Bartholomew's Hospital. By old bell 3-1-20, Draft for waste dirt &c 10,3-1-10 @ £4/18/0 £16.7.3. (Whitechapel Daybook, 24 Sept, 1869)
[2]	To lowering the two 14th century bells & storing in courtyard, £11.12.0. (Whitechapel Daybook, 14 August 1941)
[3]	3, tenor 6 cwt. Treble 1869. Bells hoisted into belfry and hung stationary with chiming hammers & chime bracket & all necessary fittings for stationary use, Oct. 1951. (Whitechapel Card Index)

Old church engravings

Old engraving
Photo:

Old photographs of the bells

The treble and second and right, the tenor, hanging in the frame.
Photo: David L Cawley, 1960s

The tenor.
Photo: David L Cawley, 1960s

The Sanctus bell hung for ringing between the bellframe and the centre post of the louvre.
Photo: David L Cawley, 1960s

Photographs of the belfry

Middle bell. Photo: Dickon R Love, 16 Dec 2009	Middle bell. Photo: Dickon R Love, 16 Dec 2009	Treble bell Photo: Dickon R Love, 16 Dec 2009
The sanctus bell. Photo: Dickon R Love, 16 Dec 2009	The old sanctus pit. You can just about make out the bearing slots and the slider runner board on the louvre. Photo: Dickon R Love, 16 Dec 2009	Photo: Dickon R Love, 16 Dec 2009
The tenor. Photo: Dickon R Love, 16 Dec 2009	The frame is the oldest in London. Photo: Dickon R Love, 16 Dec 2009	Photo: Dickon R Love, 16 Dec 2009

Love's Guide to the Church Bells of the City of London

Page updated: 13 October 2019