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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St Mary Aldermary, Queen Victoria St
 Photo: Dickon Love, 1 Dec 2002
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Details of the Bells |
| Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Retuned | ||
| ꓕ | Single | 4-3-14 | 30" | C♯ | 1856 | Charles & George Mears, Whitechapel | Never |
Inscriptions |
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How the bells are tuned |
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History |
| 1511 | The oiginal church was rebuilt by Sir Henry Kebyll, Lord Mayor 1511-18. Stow says that the church is "called Aldermarie because the same was very old and elder than any church of St Mary in the city." The unfinished tower was completed by William Rodway, who died in 1626. [1] | ||
| 1552 | Record of 5 bells in the tower [2] | ||
| 1666 | The church was destroyed in the Great Fire with the exception of the tower. | ||
| 1681 | The church was rebuilt by Wren from a bequest of Henry Rogers on condition that it be a copy of the old building. It was finished the following year. | ||
| 1701 | The upper portion of the tower was rebuilt, with four pinnacles to a total height of 135 ft. | ||
| 1824 | Record of 2 bells in the tower. | ||
| 1856 | The present bell was cast (or recast) by Charles and George Mears. |
| [1] | Next on the south side of Budge row by the west corner thereof, and on the East side of Cordwainer streete, is one other fayre Church called Aldemarie Church, because the same was very old, and elder then any Church of saint Marie in the Citie, till of late yeares the foundation of a verie faire new Church was laid there by Henrie Keble Grocer, Maior, who deceased 1518. and was there buried in a vault by him prepared, with a faire monument raised ouer him on the North side the Quier, now destroyed and gone: he gaue by his testament 1000. pound towards the building vp of that Church, and yet not permitted a resting place for his bones there. ("A Survey of London", Stow, J (1603)) |
| [2] | Fyve grett bellys. It ij smalle bellys (Edwardian Inventory, 1552) |
Pictures of the church |
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Pictures of the belfry |
The service bell in the frame. Photo: Dickon R Love, 23 Jan 2007 |
Photo: Dickon R Love, 23 Jan 2007 |
| Love's Guide to the Church Bells of the City of London | Page updated: 13 October 2019 |