® |
1 |
|
5-3-1 | 26.97" |
A♭ |
2011 |
John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Never |
® |
2 |
|
6-0-11 | 27.95" |
G♭ |
2011 |
John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Never |
® |
3 |
|
6-0-14 | 28½" |
F |
2011 |
John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Never |
® |
4 |
|
6-0-11 | 29¾" |
E♭ |
2011 |
John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Never |
® |
5 |
|
7-0-1 | 31½" |
D♭ |
2011 |
John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Never |
® |
6 |
|
7-0-18 | 32½" |
C |
2011 |
John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Never |
® |
7 |
|
8-0-26 | 34¾" |
B♭ |
2011 |
John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Never |
® |
8 |
|
10-0-22 | 38⅛" |
A♭ |
2011 |
John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Never |
® |
9 |
|
12-3-16 | 41.46" |
G♭ |
2011 |
John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Never |
® |
10 |
|
16-1-19 | 45" |
F |
2011 |
John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Never |
® |
11 |
|
22-1-12 | 49⅜" |
E♭ |
2011 |
John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Never |
® |
12 |
|
32-1-6 | 55.91" |
D♭ |
2011 |
John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Never |
ꓕ |
Former 3rd |
|
7-0-11 | 31½" |
D♯ |
1728 |
Richard Phelps, Whitechapel | Never |
ꓕ |
Former 4th |
|
8-2-0 | 33¾" |
C♯ |
1728 |
Richard Phelps, Whitechapel | Never |
ꓕ |
Former 7th |
|
11-1-3 | 39½" |
G♯ |
1728 |
Richard Phelps, Whitechapel | Never |
|
1421 |
|
A new tower was added to the church and 5 bells were placed in it. These formed a minor 5. [1] |
|
1430 |
|
A tenor bell was added to make 6, the gift of John Whitwell, his wife Isabel and William Rus (alderman and goldsmith). This bell weighed over 30 cwt and was called Rus. [2] |
|
1474 |
|
The Churchwardens accounts mention the "fyveth bell clapper" (i.e. there were probably at least 6 bells). |
|
1521 |
|
The Churchwarden accounts refer to the bells, mentioning the Great Bell, called Russe, the bell called Myhill, the Mary bell, the bell called Trinitye "the bell next it downeward", and the least bell. |
|
1552 |
|
Record of 6 bells and 2 smaller sanctus or priests bells. [3] |
|
1567 |
|
A bell was recast by Robert Doddes. |
|
1585 |
|
A broken sanctus bell was sold and the broken treble bell was recast. |
|
1587 |
|
The tenor (which was cracked) was recast by Lawrence Wright. This was a poor job and the bell was disliked and rejected. The old bell was 30-0-14. Wright included 1-1-14 of new metal. |
|
1588 |
|
The tenor was recast by Robert Mot, but this too was a poor bell. |
|
1589 |
|
Finally Robert Mot produced an acceptable recast tenor. |
|
1596 |
|
The bells were rehung in a new frame by John Brissenden, a carpenter reported to be of good skill so that "they shalbe rung with much more ease ... by fewer men ... with 8, 9 or 10 men at the moste" and to "ease the steeple of much shaking". This work cost £12. |
|
1599 |
|
The tenor became cracked again, and again Mot had to cast more than one bell before an acceptable bell could be produced (weighing 31 cwt). One of the attempts was rejected and was sent to Westminster Abbey where it was used as the tenor there. The inscription referred to it being a gift by William Rus in 1430 and recast in 1599. It is not known when this translation took place. |
|
1666 |
|
The church and 10 bells were destroyed in the Great Fire, although the tower was not wholly burned down. |
|
1679 |
|
The church was rebuilt according to Wren's design. |
|
1682 |
|
The first record of 8 bells in addition to the 2 saunce bells - the old 6 had been augmented with 2 trebles. |
|
1715 |
|
The old tower was demolished and a new tower was begun under Wren, |
|
1722 |
|
The tower was completed under Hawksmoor. |
|
1728 |
|
12 bells were cast by Richard Phelps and hung in the new tower. These bells were first rung on 4 Dec "on account of the arrival in tower, from Holland, of HRH Frederick, Prince of Wales". This was the first ring of 12 cast together as a complete set. |
|
1738 |
|
The tenor was recast by Lester and Pack. |
|
1740 |
|
The 8th was recast by Thomas Lester. |
|
1762 |
|
The bells were rehung by Robert Catlin.at a cost of £27. |
|
1795 |
|
The 5th and tenor were recast by Thomas Mears I (the tenor had cracked through clocking). |
|
1809 |
|
The bells were rehung as part of a major refurbishment. Mears themselves earned £439 for the work and work also took place by John Wooding, in whose printed list the work is mentioned. The work was made necessary by the "very decayed, unsound and nearly rotten state of the large beams and timbers". It is probable that the frame was lowered in the tower at this point. The work was completed the following year. |
|
1910 |
|
The 11th was recast by Mears & Stainbank, who rehung the remainder. |
|
1958 |
|
The 11th gudgeon broke. |
|
1960 |
|
The 6th, 9th, 10th and tenor were found to be cracked and were consequently recast, with the remainder being retuned by Mears & Stainbank. |
|
1961 |
|
The restored bells were rededicated by the Bishop of Stepney. |
|
1968 |
|
The 5th was recast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. |
|
1996 |
|
A new timber 2-skin ceiling to the ringing room was built to replace the acoustically terrible horse-hair and tongue & groove ceiling. |
|
1999 |
|
The new ceiling was again replaced with a new tongue and groove ceiling at the request of the church architect. Sound control was also installed in the louvres. |
|
2004 |
|
Cracks were found in the pinnacles on the tower. All ringing was stopped for a few weeks pending their restoration should they fall off the tower on to the pavement below. |
|
2010 |
|
A new ring of 12 bells was cast by John Taylor Bellfounders. These were provided from a benefaction by Dr M Faulkes six years earlier. Despite agreement from the PCC, the faculty application proved to be controversial, and the Chancellor of the Diocese took several years to come to a decision. By the time the permission was granted, the rising costs meant that the benefaction had to be supplemented by donations from other ringers and ringing organisations. The old bells were removed on 26th Feb 2011 with the exception of the 3rd, 4th and 7th dated 1728 (the latter being hung with a chiming hammer as a service bell). The new bells were consecrated on the floor of the nave on 3rd Apr 2011 by the Bishop of London. |
[1] |
This hath been a fair and beautifull Parish Church, but of late years, since the Surrender of their Lands to Edward the sixth, greatly blemished by the building of four Tenements on the North side thereof, towards the high Street, in place of a green Churchyard, whereby the Church is greatly darkened, and other ways annoyed. The fair new Steeple, or Bell-Tower of this Church, was begun to be builded in the year 1421. which being finished, and a fair Ring of five Bells therein placed. (A Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster, John Strype, 1720) |
[2] |
A sixth Bell was added, and given by John Whitwel, Isabel his Wife, and William Rus, or Rous, Alderman and Goldsmith *, about the Year 1430. which Bell named Rus (Nightly to be rung at eight of the Clock, and otherwise for Knels, and in Peals usually rung by one Man, more than an 100 years) of late over-haled by foure or five at once, hath been thrice broken; and therefore not rung as heretofore; and new cast, within the space of ten years, to the Charges of that Parish, more than 100 Marks. (A Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster, John Strype, 1720) |
[3] |
vj greate belles and ij saunce belles. (Edwardian Inventory, 1552) |
The 9th, on the upper tier. Photo: Dickon R Love, 18 Nov 2006 |
Bells on the upper tier. The 7th is in the foreground. Photo: Dickon R Love, 18 Nov 2006 |
The 8th. A chip came out of the lip of the bell in the early 2000s by a flying clapper. Photo: Dickon R Love, 18 Nov 2006 |
The treble. Photo: Dickon R Love, 18 Nov 2006 |
The 3rd and 4th on the upper tier. Photo: Dickon R Love, 18 Nov 2006 |
The tenor. Photo: Dickon R Love, 18 Nov 2006 |
The interesting inscription on the 10th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 18 Nov 2006 |
The tenor. Photo: Dickon R Love, 18 Nov 2006 |
The 11th with the names of the 1728 trustees reproduced on it. Photo: Dickon R Love, 18 Nov 2006 |
Newspaper cutting of the ring of 12 returning to the tower in 1960 Photo: Daily Telegraph, Jun 1960 (DLC collection) |
A view of the belfry from above. Photo: Dickon R Love, 18 Nov 2006 |
The old frame, situated above the current installation. Photo: Dickon R Love, 18 Nov 2006 |
The treble. Photo: Andrew D Higson, 20 Jan 2011 |
The 7th. Photo: Andrew D Higson, 20 Jan 2011 |
The 2nd. Photo: Andrew D Higson, 20 Jan 2011 |
The 8th. Photo: Andrew D Higson, 20 Jan 2011 |
5th being cast. Photo: Antony R Kench, 20 Jan 2011 |
Lynne & Peter Mullen (the Rector) Photo: Antony R Kench, 20 Jan 2011 |
The mould of the 6th. Photo: Antony R Kench, 20 Jan 2011 |
Cornhill parish visit. Photo: Antony R Kench, 20 Jan 2011 |
Preparing the 11th mould. Photo: Antony R Kench, 20 Jan 2011 |
St Michael parishioners. Photo: Antony R Kench, 20 Jan 2011 |
The furnace glowing. Photo: Antony R Kench, 20 Jan 2011 |
The 4th cooling down. Photo: Antony R Kench, 20 Jan 2011 |
The 7th on the tuning machine. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 7th Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 7th half way through tuning. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
Chris Kippin browsing. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 8th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 8th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 8th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 7th being tuned. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
4 of the bells waiting to be drilled and tuned. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 2nd. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 4th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 4th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 5th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 3rd. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
John Jelley, Andrew Wilby and Chris Kippin admiring a bell cast for a Sri Lankan temple. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 4 new Cornhill bells standing in the foundry. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The pits for the 10th and 11th before casting. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The spectators. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The furnace is being checked. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The molten metal is poured into the ladle. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
Almost full. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
Magnesium is sprinkled into the ladle to keep the top of the molten metal hot. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
Metal being poured into the 10th mould. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 10th being cast. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 11th being cast. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The 11th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The remaining metal is poured into ingots. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The top of the moulds with the metal cooling down. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
Moulds being prepared for the 9th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
The College Youths' Master (Phil Goodyer) and the Treasurer (Phil Rogers). Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Feb 2011 |
A collection of bells on the floor of the church under the tower. Photo: Antony R Kench, 25 Feb 2011 |
The lorry leaves for Loughborough Photo: Antony R Kench, 26 Feb 2011 |
The bells on the floor of the church. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The 5th, under the tower Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The tenor. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The wheels are piled up in the belfry. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The belfry is otherwise empty of bells. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
Bells 3, 4 and 7, all cast by Phelps in 1728, are piled up in the room above the belfry, pending hanging dead. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
No ringing at the moment in the ringing room. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
Looking down on the bells under the tower. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
"Whitechapel Loops" in the inscription band of the treble. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The 5th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The treble being carried out. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
Detail on the treble. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The treble. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The 9th: "SI DEUS NOBISCUM QUIS CONTRA NOS" Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The 6th "EXULTATE IUSTI" Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The 9th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The 11th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The 11th is stored over the top of the 6th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
St Michael watches the 10th being hoisted out of the church. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The 10th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The 10th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The 8th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The curious thing about the inscription on the 8th is that the names of the Churchwardens were added as an engraving rather than being cast as part of the inscription. There is also an empty inscription band around the bell. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The 2nd, with its headstock still on. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The 2nd, with its headstock still on. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The 2nd. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The tenor headstock (all 400kgs of it) loaded onto the lorry. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The tenor was the last one left in the church. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The tenor at the door of the church. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
St Michael watching the tenor leave. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The tenor is lowered on top of the 10th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
Rearranging the bells on the back of the lorry. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The tenor standing on the back of the lorry. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The final arrangement of th 9 bells on the lorry. Photo: Dickon R Love, 26 Feb 2011 |
The Bishop strikes the tenor. Photo: Anthony R Kench, 3 Apr 2011 |
The 8th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Apr 2011 |
The 5th and 6th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Apr 2011 |
The Rector and Bishop process back to the front of the church. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Apr 2011 |
The tenor. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Apr 2011 |
The 3rd and 4th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Apr 2011 |
The 9th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Apr 2011 |
The 11th and 10th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Apr 2011 |
The 4th and 5th. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Apr 2011 |
The College Youths' Master and Senior Steward at the service. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Apr 2011 |
The Bishop of London approaches the tenor to strike it with a hammer, as the Chancellor of the Diocese and the local Alderman look on. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Apr 2011 |
All listen as the church is filled with the sound of the tenor. Photo: Dickon R Love, 3 Apr 2011 |