Cockney Bow Bells

Many of you will have seen the recent advert from West Ham and the new “cockney kit” which has a graphic representation of the St Mary-Le-Bow church woven into the fabric. Legend suggests that to be a true cockney, you must be born within the sound of the Bow Bells, and the club kit also features a motif of this.

The Bow Bells has been immortalised in nursey rhymes and songs including the well known “Oranges and Lemons”

Located in Cheapside, I recently paid a visit to the church, to learn more!

Historically the radius for the sound of the bells was approximately 5 miles, which would include Shoreditch, Bethnal Green, Hackney, and parts of Polar and Stepney. Yet, a recent study suggested the noise only travelled as far as 2 miles, probably due to noise pollution.

There are twelve bells in total each with a name and an inscription from Psalms.

The church dates back to the 11th Century, and the original structure was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. It was one of over fifty churches in London that caught fire during the fire storm. Sir Christopher Wren, later rebuilt it, and it was recognised behind St Pauls as one of the most important churches in London. Sadly it was destroyed by the Luftwaffe during the blitz and took several direct hits on 10-11 May 1941. The interior was reduced to a shell, and whilst the tower survived, fire damage made the bells crash to the floor. The church was rebuilt and re-consecrated between 1956 and 1964 by Laurence King, based on Wren’s designs. The tower actually survived, but required rebuilding due to fire damage which had weakened the walls. It was awarded a Grade 1 listed status and placed on the National Heritage list.

So if you are ever interested in learning more why not pay a visit to the church, they even have a Cafe Below open in the vault which serves breakfast and lunch most weekdays.