St Mary-le-Bow

The Church of St Mary-le-Bow (/lə ˈboʊ/, rhymes with 'know') is a Church of England parish church in the City of London, England. It sits on Cheapside, one of the city's oldest streets, and was founded in 1080 by Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury. Over the years, it was rebuilt many times, and the current building was designed by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London in 1666.

This church is famous for its tall spire and beautiful bells. The bells are even mentioned in the nursery rhyme "Oranges and Lemons". There's a story about Dick Whittington hearing these bells in 1392, which led him to return to the city and later become Lord Mayor. In the past, someone born within earshot of the bells was considered a true Londoner, or Cockney.

During the Second World War, the church was badly damaged by the Luftwaffe during the Blitz. The inside was destroyed, and the bells fell to the ground, but the tower remained standing. From 1956 to 1964, the church was carefully restored by Laurence King to look like it did before the war. Even while it was still being rebuilt, it was given Grade I listed status in 1950 on the National Heritage List for England, which is the highest protection for important buildings.

History

The first confirmed church dedicated to St Mary on Cheapside was built by Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1080. This church was made from Caen stone, the same stone used in the Tower of London. It had a lower undercroft and an upper church, which led to its name, St Mary-le-Bow, meaning "St Mary of the Arches."

The tower of St. Mary-le-Bow as it appeared before the Great Fire

Over the years, the church faced many challenges. It was destroyed by a powerful tornado in 1091 and again by a fire in 1196. After the fire, it was rebuilt and became an important place for the Archbishops of Canterbury. In 1666, during the Great Fire of London, the church was nearly destroyed, but the tower survived. Architect Christopher Wren was hired to rebuild it. His design included a taller tower and a beautiful spire. The rebuilding took many years and was finished in 1680.

During World War II, the church was damaged by bombings but was later restored to its former glory.

Architecture

The Church of St Mary-le-Bow has a simple rectangular shape. The tower sits in the northwest corner, separated from the main church by a small entrance area called a vestibule. The church’s design places the main area, called the chancel, at the eastern end, with narrow side areas called aisles on both sides.

Floor plan

The outside of the church is mostly made of red brick, with special decorations in Portland stone. The most noticeable feature is the tall tower built by Sir Christopher Wren. This tower stands very high and is made entirely of Portland stone. It has four levels and ends with an impressive stone spire. The tower includes doors, large windows, and detailed stonework, including columns and decorative tops. The spire also has several levels, ending in a tall point with a dragon-shaped weather vane on top.

Inside, the church has three main sections called bays, separated by large rounded arches. The ceiling above the main area is painted blue and white. The church has beautiful stained glass windows made by John Hayward in the 1960s. These windows show images such as Christ in Majesty, the Virgin Mary, and St Paul, along with symbols of the City of London. A vestibule connects the church to the tower, and below the church is an old crypt from the 11th century, now used as a café.

Music

Organ

The church has had organs since 1802. The first was built by Hugh Russell and had 13 parts called "stops" and two "manuals". Later, in 1867, George Maydwell Holdich added more parts to the organ. In 1880, Walker & Sons made a new, bigger organ with 33 stops and three manuals. This organ stayed until the Blitz during World War II, when it was moved for safety.

After the war, in 1964, the organ was made smaller, with only 18 of the original stops kept. In 2004, the church started a project to build a new organ, finished in 2010. This new organ has 34 stops and two manuals. There is also a small chamber organ with one manual and five stops.

Bells

History

Early bells

The bells at St Mary-le-Bow are very famous. A story says that in 1392, Richard Whittington heard the bells and returned to the city, becoming Lord Mayor. The first written record of the bells is from 1469. In 1515, William Copland gave money for a big bell to be rung at 9:00 each evening. By 1552, there were five bells and two smaller ones called "sanctus" bells. In 1666, the Great Fire of London damaged the bells and tower.

After the fire, new bells were made and hung in the rebuilt tower. In 1738, the biggest bell was remade. In 1762, two more bells were added, making ten. In 1881, two more bells were added, making twelve. In 1927, the bells were too old to ring, but in 1933, Harry Gordon Selfridge paid to fix them. However, in 1941, during World War II, a bomb hit the church, and the bells fell and were broken.

Post-war restoration

After the war, new bells were made in 1956 and hung in 1961. They were dedicated by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The bells are often rung by bell ringers from around the world.

Specification

In popular culture

The bells are famous and are often used to decide if someone is a true Londoner or Cockney — someone born within hearing distance of the bells. Over time, with more buildings and noise, the bells can now only be heard in parts of the city. The bells are mentioned in the nursery rhyme "Oranges and Lemons". They are also used in songs and by sports teams like West Ham United F.C.

The Academy of St Mary-le-Bow

The Academy of St Mary-le-Bow is a London chamber orchestra that started in 2016. They give concerts at the church.

Bells of St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside, EC2
No.	Name	Weight (cwt-qrs-lbs)	Weight (kg and lb)	Note	Diameter (inches)	Acrostic text
1	Katherine	5-3-21	302 kg (666 lb)	G	27+3⁄4	Ps 96: "Declare his glory among the heathen…"
2	Fabian	5-3-10	297 kg (655 lb)	F	29	Ps 50: "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me…"
3	Christopher	6-1-7	321 kg (708 lb)	E	30	Ps 148: "His name alone is excellent…"
4	Margaret	6-2-17	338 kg (745 lb)	D	32	Ps 29: "In his temple doth every one speak of His glory."
5	Mildred	7-3-27	406 kg (895 lb)	C	34	Ps 104: "The glory of the Lord shall endure forever"
6	Faith	8-3-27	457 kg (1,008 lb)	B	35	Ps 138: "They will sing of the ways of the Lord…"
7	Augustine	10-0-20	517 kg (1,140 lb)	A	38	Ps 145: "I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty."
8	John	12-1-11	627 kg (1,382 lb)	G	41	Ps 115: "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory."
9	Timothy	17-3-17	909 kg (2,004 lb)	F	46	Ps 29: "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name…"
10	Pancras	21-2-23	1,103 kg (2,432 lb)	E	49	Ps 145: "Thy saints shall bless thee."
11	Cuthbert	29-1-5	1,488 kg (3,280 lb)	D	5	Ps 86: "O Lord my God, I will glorify Your name forevermore."
12	Bow	41-3-21	2,131 kg (4,698 lb)	C	61+1⁄4	Lk 2: "Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace…"
All bells have the Whitechapel Bell Foundry roundel cast upon them, together with the date of their recasting (1956).
Sources:

Services

St Mary-le-Bow serves the financial industry and livery companies in the City of London. Because of this, the church holds services on weekdays instead of Sundays. Each day, there are short prayer sessions at 8:30 am and 5:45 pm, lasting about 15 minutes each. There are also two longer services on Wednesday at lunchtime and on Thursday evening.