Love's
Guide to The Bells of the City of London |
St Stephen Walbrook, Walbrook
Photo: Dickon R Love |
|
Details of the Bells |
Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Retuned | ||
҂ | Service Bell | 9½ cwt approx. | 37½" | B | 1601 | Robert Mot, Whitechapel | Never | |
҈ | Small unhung bell | 2½ cwt approx. | 16" | A | 1761 | Lester & Pack, Whitechapel | Never |
Inscriptions |
How the bells are tuned |
History |
1475 | Records mention a second bell. [1] | ||
1476 | Records mention the purchase of clamps to let down the bells in the steeple, taking down the Lytell bell, for three baldricks of the "iij lest bellys" and payment to a chestyr for 3-1-3 of bell metal more than it weighed when it was changed. [2] | ||
1480 | The 5 bells were rehung in a new frame. John Kebyll wheelwright paid for "tymbur and Frame, making and hanging of v belles" etc £6.6.8. [3] | ||
1552 | Record of 5 bells in the tower. [4] | ||
1558 | Record of 5 bells. [5] | ||
1601 | The 4th (of 5) was recast by Robert Mot. | ||
1652 | Record of 5 bells and a sanctus. [6] | ||
1666 | The church was destroyed in the Great Fire, but it appears that the 5 bells and Sanctus remained undamaged. | ||
1672 | The church was rebuilt by Wren with a tower and spire rising to 130 ft, although part of the tower is pre-Reformation. It was completed in 1677. | ||
1679 | The vestry ordered that "the little bell be hung in the window of the tower next Wallbrook forthwith, for their better coming to Church". It had previously been suggested that it should hang in the lantern on the top of the tower. | ||
1681 | The vestry ordered that the 5 bells be sold except for the 4th, which was to be hung with the sanctus bell. [7] | ||
1761 | A small bell was cast by Lester & Pack. | ||
1824 | Record of 2 bells. | ||
1888 | The church was reopened on 15 Jun. |
[1] | (Churchwardens accounts, 1475) |
[2] | (Churchwardens accounts, 1476) |
[3] | (Churchwardens accounts, 1480) |
[4] | It'm five bellys and one small bell in the steple. Also in ye olde stepil over owre parsonage bene iij bellis, and hanging whelis and Ropis and al yt longith to hem (Edwardian Inventory, 1552) |
[5] | It'm five Belles and a Sayntes Bell in the steple (Parish Inventory, 1558) |
[6] | Five greate bells, one small Bell (Parish Inventory, 1652) |
[7] | The vestry ordered "that ye fourth bell be hung with ye saints bells and that the other four bells be sold". (Vestry minutes, 1681) |
Articles
Pictures of the church |
Photo: |
Photo: |
The church in 1917 Photo: Spitalfields Life |
Pictures from the belfry |
Love's Guide to the Church Bells of the City of London | Page updated: 13 October 2019 |