Untitled Document
      Love's Guide to

 The Bells of the City of London
St Benet Paul's Wharf
 

St Benet Paul's Wharf, Paul's Wharf

Photo: Dickon Love

Details of the Bells
Bell Weight
(most recent)		Diameter Note Date FounderRetuned
Smaller 2 cwt approx.22" A 1683 William WightmanNever
Larger 5 cwt approx.27½" D 1683 William WightmanNever

Inscriptions

Prior to 1666
Bell Weight Diameter Note Date Founder Retuned Fate
SanctusUnknownDestroyed in the Great Fire of 1666
Treble (of 5)UnknownDestroyed in the Great Fire of 1666
2nd (of 5)UnknownDestroyed in the Great Fire of 1666
3rd (of 5)UnknownDestroyed in the Great Fire of 1666
4th (of 5)UnknownDestroyed in the Great Fire of 1666
Tenor (of 5)UnknownDestroyed in the Great Fire of 1666

History
1552 Record of 3 bells and a sanctus bell. [1]
1605 -6 Churchwardens accounts record the purchase of 2 new bellropes.
1614 -5 Churchwardens accounts record 11s paid to Mr Farram for new trussing fower of the bells.
1618 One of the bells was recast and "second casting of the bell". The name of the founder was not recorded.
1622 -3 Churchwardens accounts record a new wheel for the 2nd bell and trussing a bell.
1623 -4 Churchwardens accounts record the purchase of 4 new bellropes.
1628 -9 Churchwardens accounts record the purchase of ropes for all the bells.
1630 -1 Churchwardens accounts record the purchase of ropes for all 5 bells.
1631 -2 Churchwardens accounts record: "pd the bell hanger for mending the bell wheels and for new catches to all the bells and for new hanging them as by his bill appears" £2.10.0, to the smith for iron work for the bells 12s.6d; 1634-5 for carrying of the old Saints bell."
1635 -6 Churchwardens accounts record a sum "for a new saints bell and placing the clocke upon it £9.7.8; 1635-6 new wheels for the bells and work about the bells (£4.1.10), new ropes, for 2 clappers and mending and cutting the other (£1.2.0); 1637-8 Paid for a set of bell ropes and a new Sants bell rope and Tenor rope and hanging them, £1.1.6."
1666 Church and bells destroyed by the Great Fire.
1683 Church rebuilt (1681-7) by Wren and 2 bells cast by William Wightman for the new tower.
1708 Record of 2 bells.
1714 Paterson records no peal of bells, and clearly didn't note the 2 that were there. [2]
1724 Record of 2 bells.
[1] "iij belles & a saunce bell in the Steple" (Edwardian Inventory,1552)
[2] It was consumed in 1666, but repaired by Act of Parliament of Brick and Stone, and finished in 1683, in very good Order and Fashion, adorned with the Donations of some well disposed Benefactors; but no new Monuments, Organ, nor Peal of Bells are yet set up. ("Pietas Londinensis Or the Present Ecclesiastical State of London", James Paterson AM, 1714)


Love's Guide to the Church Bells of the City of London Page updated: 13 October 2019