Untitled Document
      Love's Guide to

 The Bells of the City of London
St Lawrence Jewry
 

St Lawrence Jewry, Gresham St

Photo: Dickon Love, 24 Apr 2004

  • 8 bells hung for full circle ringing plus a small bell hung dead
  • Tenor: 24-3-2 in E♭.
  • Grid Ref: TQ324813
  • Rung from: Upstairs Ringing Room
  • Frame: 1957 Mears & Stainbank, metal.
  • Diocese: London
  • Building Listed Grade: I. Click for Heritage details.
  • Peals rung at the tower

Details of the Bells
Bell Weight
(most recent)*		Diameter Note Date FounderRetuned
® Treble 5-3-2030" E♭ 1957 Mears & Stainbank, WhitechapelNever
® 2 6-0-1331" D 1957 Mears & Stainbank, WhitechapelNever
® 3 7-1-733" C 1957 Mears & Stainbank, WhitechapelNever
® 4 8-1-635" B♭ 1957 Mears & Stainbank, WhitechapelNever
® 5 10-1-1538½" A♭ 1957 Mears & Stainbank, WhitechapelNever
® 6 12-2-941" G 1957 Mears & Stainbank, WhitechapelNever
® 7 17-0-2345" F 1957 Mears & Stainbank, WhitechapelNever
® Tenor 24-3-251" E♭ 1957 Mears & Stainbank, WhitechapelNever
ꓕ Small bell 2-2-16½24" 1943 Mears & Stainbank, WhitechapelNever

* Source of weight figures: London Diocesan Schedule Pg 8
®  - Hung for full circle ringing
ꓕ - Hung dead

Bellframes
Position
 Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
Main belfry 1 Ring of 8 1957 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
8.3.A.h
 8.3
On roof 2 Sanctus Cast iron

Inscriptions

The ring of 8 destroyed in 1940
Bell Weight* Diameter Note Date Founder Retuned Fate
Treble6-3-932¼"C♯1775Pack & Chapman1930 Mears & StainbankDestroyed 1940
27-0-2532¼"D♯1710Richard Phelps1930 Mears & StainbankDestroyed 1940
38-1-2234¾"E♯1679James Bartlett1930 Mears & StainbankDestroyed 1940
49-3-2637⅞"F♯1679James Bartlett1930 Mears & StainbankDestroyed 1940
512-1-341¾"G♯1679James Bartlett1930 Mears & StainbankDestroyed 1940
614-0-1843½"A♯1679James Bartlett1930 Mears & StainbankDestroyed 1940
719-3-2249"B♯1679James Bartlett1930 Mears & StainbankDestroyed 1940
Tenor30-1-2256⅝"C♯1687James Bartlett1930 Mears & StainbankDestroyed 1940

* Source of weight figures: As received 1930

Earlier treble
Bell Weight Diameter Note Date Founder Retuned Fate
Treble (of 8)C♯1710Pack & ChapmanNeverRecast 1775

History
1666 Church destroyed in the Great Fire.
1671 The foundation stone of the new church was laid on 12 April. It was built from one of Wren’s designs.
1679 6 large bells cast by James Bartlett and hung in the tower.
1687 Tenor recast by James Barlett.
1710 2 treble bells added by Richard Phelps to make 8.
1775 Treble recast by Pack & Chapman.
1930 The bells were retuned and rehung by Mears & Stainbank. The tenor was dropped in the process, injuring a workman, although the bell appears to have been undamaged. [1]
1940 The bells were destroyed when the tower was hit by a bomb on 29 Dec.
1943 Sanctus bell cast by Mears & Stainbank.
1957 Present ring of bells cast by Mears & Stainbank. The new bells were tried out on 11 Jul.
[1] Photograph showing "the large bell, weighing thirty-three hundredweight, which crashed to the ground yesterday at St.Lawrence Jewry church, near the Guildhall. A workman was injured." (The Daily Mirror, 7 Jan 1930)

Pictures of the church


Photo:

Photo:

Pictures of the old bells

The former 30 cwt tenor bell.
Photo:

Pictures from the belfry

The belfry.
Photo: Dickon R Love, Nov 2003
The 3rd.
Photo: Dickon R Love, Nov 2003
The ceiling of the belfry showing the clock mechanism and timberwork inside the spire.
Photo: Dickon R Love, Nov 2003

The Sanctus bell under cover on the south roof.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 24 Apr, 2004
Recent Peals
The most recent performances, according to BellBoard.
2020-01-045152 Spliced Surprise Major (8m)
2019-11-025152 Yorkshire Surprise Major
2018-11-105152 Spliced Surprise Major (23 Methods)
2018-01-065184 Spliced Surprise Major (13 Methods)
2017-11-115056 Spliced Surprise Major (10 Methods)
2017-11-045152 Spliced Surprise Major (4m)
2017-09-235152 Spliced Surprise Major (4m)
2017-09-035088 Bristol Surprise Major
2016-11-055088 Spliced Surprise Major
2015-12-195024 Bristol Surprise Major
2015-11-145152 Spliced Surprise Major (23m)
2015-11-075056 Lincolnshire Surprise Major
2015-08-175024 Montgomery Surprise Major
2015-08-015184 Bristol Surprise Major
2015-01-315056 Bristol Surprise Major
2014-08-315024 Spliced Surprise Major (6m)
2014-08-195056 London Surprise Major
2014-08-165152 Spliced Surprise Major (19m)
2013-11-025120 Bristol Surprise Major
2013-09-075184 Spliced Surprise Major (8m)
2013-08-245024 Spliced Surprise Major (8 Methods)
2013-08-125088 Happy Valley Surprise Major
2013-08-105024 Spliced Surprise Major (4m)
2013-08-055088 Bristol Surprise Major
2013-04-205040 Stedman Triples
Recent Quarter Peals
The most recent performances, according to BellBoard.
2020-02-081260 Stedman Triples
2019-12-211260 Stedman Triples
2019-08-081344 Deva Surprise Major
2019-05-041260 Plain Bob Triples
2019-04-271260 Stedman Triples
2019-03-281314 Lancashire Surprise Major
2018-12-221273 Grandsire Triples
2018-08-041260 Grandsire Triples
2018-01-201344 Grandsire Triples
2017-06-241280 Bristol Surprise Major
2017-01-141280 Superlative Surprise Major
2016-01-301260 Stedman Triples
2015-10-161280 Bristol Surprise Major
2014-07-031296 Stedman Triples
2013-11-301344 Upton Snodsbury Surprise Major
2013-08-071280 Glasgow Surprise Major
2013-07-041265 Stedman Triples
2013-06-291265 Stedman Triples
2012-12-081264 Plain Bob Major
2012-05-121260 Grandsire Triples
2011-11-081250 Glasgow Surprise Major
2011-10-311312 Bristol Surprise Major
2011-08-171280 Bristol Surprise Major
2011-06-101440 Spliced Surprise Minor (11 Methods)
2011-03-051280 Bristol Surprise Major
Full list of peals on Bellboard here
 Full list of quarters on Bellboard here

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