The silencing of Big Ben and the muffling of bells and drums for the funeral of Margaret Thatcher made me reflect on the importance of bells – their part in our history, the ceremonial traditions of the City of London as well as the country at large.
St Paul’s Cathedral, the great Wren masterwork, is particularly significant for its role in honouring the great and good after death. The north-west tower contains twelve bells hung for change ringing plus a service bell, while the south-west contains four. This includes a bell named ‘Great Paul’, at 16 ½ tons the second-largest bell in the British Isles after the 2012 Olympic Bell, which was cast in 1881 by Taylor’s bell foundry of Loughborough, Leicestershire.
Information on Great Peter can be found on Love’s Guide to the Church Bells of London – it really can’t be bettered for its pictures and detailed information, so do take a look. As you can see from the pictures, the bell is just about contained in its tower – it’s so large! It’s companion is ‘Great Tom’, the hour bell which of course we hear often, and which is especially noticeable when you are trying to talk over it! It has been recast twice, the last time by Richard Phelps, after being moved from St Stephen’s Chapel at the Palace of Westminster. Great Tom is only rung outside its hourly cycle on the occasion of a death in the royal family, that of the Bishop of London or the Lord Mayor of London. A rare exception was made at the death of the US President John Garfield.
Richard Phelps cast two more bells in 1717 and added them as ‘quarter jacks’ – they are still in use today. For those bell ringers amongst us here are some statistics – the first weights 13 long hundred weights (1,5000 lbs; 660kg) and is 41” inches (1000mm) in diameter and tuned to A flat. The second weighs 35 long hundredweights (3900 lbs; 1800kg) is 58” (1500mm) in diameter and is tuned to E flat.
On a lighter ‘chime’, you may be wondering where the Royal Jubilee Bells went after last year’s River Pageant to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Having been beautifully crafted by The Whitechapel Foundry and rung all the way along the Thames, they are now inhabiting the tower of the beautiful church of St James Garlickhythe. They are named after Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and the rest of the family, while Katharine and William share one bell. This church and its original bells were destroyed by the Great Fire in 1666 and rebuilt to a design by Sir Christopher Wren – it has high clerestory windows which suffuse the church with light and it is often called ‘Wren’s Lantern’, and the woodwork in this church is particularly outstanding. New bells were installed in 1682, and these were replaced by the bells mounted on the barge ‘Ursala Katharine’ at a dedication ceremony on 17 June 2012.
In addition to its new bells, St James Garlickhythe has other points of interest:
- The church was damaged when a crane fell from across the street in 1991. The new pews were made from trees blown down on a Sussex estate in the hurricane of 1987.
- Small tables on either side of the altar are made from wood recovered from the Marchioness pleasure boat, which sank in 1989 with the loss of many young lives.
- The church also has connections with the Vintners Livery Company (across Upper Thames Street) and this is acknowledged by a wrought iron gate which has intertwined grapes and vine leaves on it.
- A lovely sculpture dedicated to the Barge Master & Swan by Vivien Mallock (2007) stands in the courtyard – this is a reference to the ancient ceremony of Swan Upping carried out by the HRH Queen Elizabeth II and the Vintners and Dyers Companies (by Royal Decree, the only three parties who have the right to keep and manage swans in the country). The cygnets (young swans) are tagged during a special ceremony called ‘Swan Upping’ which takes place during the third week in July.
If you’re interested in the history of London’s bells, the Whitechapel Bell Foundry is a good place to visit, although there is always a long waiting list as they only open to the general public on a very limited basis. If you’re interested in going along during 2013 it’s best to book as soon as possible so you don’t have to wait another year!