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

St Mary Woolnoth, Lombard St

Photo: Dickon R Love

2 bells hung for full circle ringing and small bell hung for full circle ringing
Tenor: 13½ cwt approx in G.
Grid Ref: TQ327810
Rung from: Upstairs Ringing Room
Frame: Separate timber frames for the small bell and the two main bells. Inscribed Jas Shaw 1841.
Diocese: London
Building Listed Grade: I. Click for Heritage details.

♫ The 3 bells ringing.(Dickon R Love, 28 Nov 2002)

Details of the Bells

	Bell	Weight (most recent)	Diameter	Note	Date	Founder	Retuned
®	Sanctus Bell	2 cwt approx.	20"	A	1670	William Eldridge	Never
®	1	4½ cwt approx.	27¼"	F	1672	William Eldridge	Never
®	2	13½ cwt approx.	41½"	G	1670	William Eldridge	Never

® - Hung for full circle ringing

Inscriptions

How the bells are tuned

History

	1438		The church was rebuilt on old foundations and consecrated by an Irish Bishop.
	1539		Record of payment to clocksmith for keeping the chimes and mending baldrick of the 4th bell. [1]
	1552		Record of 5 bells and mention of a chime of sacring bells on a wheel. [2]
	1554		Record of the purchase of 2 sacring bells. [3]
	1560		Records mention a saunce bell. [4]
	1564		Records mention a payment "to a bell founder in hounediche" for trussing the bells. [5]
	1567		Records mention the payment to a bellfounder for "the mendinge of the Clapper of the Thirde bell and for hanginge of the bell right in the stocke". [6]
	1585		Records refer to paymentr for two stirropes for the tenor. [7]
	1595		Records give "Item for a Joice to hould steddy the fourth bell and for taking of the same bell out and putting the iron wedges". [8]
	1666		The Great Fire destroyed everything that could be burned, but the north wall and part of the east wall were rebuilt. The remainder was patched up as the parish was eager to gave the church ready for Divine Service.
	1670		The service bell and sanctus bell were cast. The parish was united with that of St Margaret Haw.
	1672		A smaller service bell was cast.
	1708		Record of the 2 bells and the sanctus. [9]
	1711		The building was found to be very unsafe, and as it was feared that it might fall, it was pulled down and rebuilt. The bells were retained.
	1716		The new church was completed by Nicholas Hawksmoor.
	1727		The new church was reopened on Easter Day.
	1824		Record of "3 bells".
	1841		There is an elaborate inscription on the frame "Jas Shaw 1841" which suggests that either it was constructed in 1841, or some restoration work took place in that year.
	1900		The church was reopened.
	1908		At this time the bells were rehung with new fittings. [10]
	1940		The church was damaged in air raids, but not seriously.
	1947		The bells were overhauled by Mears & Stainbank.
	2013		A large crack was discovered in the canons of the sanctus bell and all ringing ceased.
	2014		Quotations were received from the Whitechapel Bell Foundry to restore the 3 bells. A further quotation was received to install a new ring of 8 small bells. Neither of these schemes (to date) have been realised.

[1]	(Churchwardens accounts 1539-40)
[2]	Item in the steple five great bells and a litill bell wt a clock and a chyme and ropes to the same. (Edwardian Inventory,1552)
[3]	(Churchwardens accounts 1554-5)
[4]	(Churchwardens accounts 1560-1)
[5]	(Churchwardens accounts 1564-5)
[6]	(Churchwardens accounts 1567-8)
[7]	(Churchwardens accounts 1585+6)
[8]	(Churchwardens accounts 1595-6)
[9]	2 bells and the Saints ()
[10]	The fine bells of the famous Hawksmoor Church of St. Mary Woolnoth - which stands on one of the most valuable sites London - are now being rehung, owing to their dangerous condition. The church escaped destruction in the Great Fire, and at one time only needed slight restoration by Wren; but later on evident signs of the damage done manifested themselves, and then Hawksmoor, Wren’s famous pupil, was called in, and designed the present edifice. (Islington Gazette, 10 Aug 1908)

Pictures of the church

An old engraving of the church.
Photo:

The ringing room (tenor rope on left, rung by Paul Carless, with David Baverstock on the treble). Ringing was provided by the Ancient Society of College Youths for the Annual Thanksgiving Service.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 28 Nov 2002

Pictures of the belfry and ringing room

The tenor (at the back) and the middle bell in the foreground. Photo: Dickon R Love, 28 Nov 2002	And in a separate frame, the treble. Photo: Dickon R Love, 28 Nov 2002	Photo:
The church in c.1920. Photo: Spitalfields Life

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

Page updated: 13 October 2019