The Bells of St. Clements

The Bells of St Clements
St Clements is a small church situated in St. Clements Lane, Eastcheap. There have been three Churches on the site starting with the first in the 11th Century when the church is mentioned in a confirmation of grants to Westminster Abbey in 1067. The original old Church was rebuilt in the 15th Century.  The second church was destroyed in 1666 during the Great Fire of London The existing church was rebuilt in 1687 by Sir Christopher Wren (the great architect of St Paul's Cathedral). The "Oranges and lemons" refer to the citrus fruits unloaded at the nearby wharves.

Picture of St Clement's Church, Clements Lane, Eastcheap

The Bells of St. Margarets St. Margarets was founded in 1197 but the original church burned down in 1440. It was rebuilt at the expense of Robert Large who was Lord Mayor of London at the time of the disaster. The second church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London of 1666 but rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren in 1690. The "Bullseyes and Targets" refer to archery which was practised in the nearby fields. In 1363 King Edward III had commanded the obligatory practice of archery on Sundays and holidays. This tradition continued, thus ensuring the safety of the Realm, until Bows were replaced with guns.

A Picture of Archer's practising with a church in the background Church first then obligatory practice! The Bells of St. Giles In 1090 a Norman church stood on this site but was rebuilt in 1394 during the reign of King Richard II. The church escaped the Great Fire of London in 1666 but was badly burnt in the Cripplegate Fire of 1897 and was hit by a bomb during World War II. Oliver Cromwell was married in the church on 22nd August 1620. The "Brickbats and Tiles" refers to the bricks and tiles used by nearby builders. The reference to bricks is interesting as bricks were introduced to London by Judge Popham, who resided over the trial of Guy Fawkes immortalised in the Nursery Rhyme Remember, Remember the 5th November Picture of St. Giles Church, Cripplegate The Bells of St. Martin's St Martin Ongar church, situated in Martin Lane was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. Only the bell tower, complete with the original bell, has survived in the rectory of St Clements. "You owe me five farthings" relates to the moneylenders who traded nearby. The Great Fire of London - destruction of the London Churches Many of the old London churches were destroyed in the Great Fire of London. The fire started in Pudding Lane in the house and shop of Thomas Farynor who was baker to King Charles II. The King was aware of the risk of fire in Baker's shops and ensured that this task was conducted away from the palaces. In the London of 1666 the medieval houses were half timbered, with pitch, and most had thatched roofs - the recipe for disaster in terms of fire risks! The old St Paul's cathedral was destroyed in the fire together with 87 .churches. A total of 13,200 houses were also destroyed but amazingly only 6 were known to have died! Sir Christopher Wren, the great architect, was tasked with the reconstruction of London and built 49 new churches together with the great cathedral of St. Paul's over a period of 35 years! The city was not subject to re-planning and houses were replaced on exactly the sites of the buildings which were destroyed. To this day the City of London has the same structure which dates back to medieval times! A final note on the Great Fire! A year before, in 1665, the City was decimated by the Great Plague of London which killed 16% of the inhabitants (17,500 out of the population of 93,000) - The Great Fire whilst destroying most of London also purged it of the Plague! We recommend the following site for comprehensive information regarding the Bubonic Plague and the Black Death The Bells of St. Peter's St Peter upon Cornhill stands on one of the most historic Christian sites in London. It dates back to AD179 when it was the site of the Roman basilica built by Lucius, the first Christian ruler of Britain. The name Cornhill derives from the Corn Market which was situated there and dated back to Roman times. An earlier church is mentioned in records dating back to 1552 - its bell was faulty and Robert Mott, Master Founder of the Aldgate Foundry, was casting a new bell. It was hung in the steeple but shortly after the church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London and subsequently rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren in 1687. The reference to "Pancakes and Fritters" alludes to the wares which were sold to the local workers - the 'fast food' of old London! Picture of a wagon turning into Cornhill St. Peters Church is visible further down the Road The Bells of Whitechapel The bells of Whitechapel do not refer to a church but to the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. The foundry was established in 1570 and famous for making the Liberty Bell which was shipped to America in 1752 and for making the 'Clock Bells' of St Paul's cathedral in 1709. The Great Clock of Westminster - known as 'Big Ben' is the most famous bell ever cast at Whitechapel. The best bells were made 'at the sign of the three bells' in Whitechapel. We are unable to trace the origins of "Two Sticks and an Apple" however the foundry produced hand bells - similar in shape to toffee apples - could be a connection. We also know that the transportation of bells to other parts of London drew great crowds and the atmosphere was similar to that of a fair where of course toffee apples were traditionally eaten Picture of an old Bell Foundry The Bells of St. Katherine's The site of St Katherine Cree dates back to 1108 when it was served by the Augustan Priory of Holy Trinity (Christ Church). The church of St Katharine Cree was established as a separate church in the 1200's. It took its name from the original priory as the word 'Cree' is an abbreviation of "Christ Church". The body of the church was rebuilt in 1631 during the years preceding the Civil War, and is one of only eight churches in the City to survive the Great Fire of London. St Katherine Cree is located near Leadenhall market. The market was so called as it was located, in the 14th century, around a great house which boasted a lead roof. "Maids in white aprons" refers to the costume of the women of the early 1600's who sold the wares which included meat, game, poultry and fish. In 1666 the market was partially destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Picture of St Katherine Cree Church   The Bells of St. John's The Chapel of St John is the oldest church in London and situated in the Tower of London on the second floor of the White Tower. The Tower of London was built in 1077 - 97 by William the Conqueror. A door from the Great Chamber on the second floor leads to the north aisle of the Chapel of St John the Evangelist. A gruesome discovery was made under the stairs leading to the chapel. The remains of the bodies of the two Little Princes, Edward V and his younger brother Richard, Duke of York were found who were reputedly killed on the orders of their uncle the Duke of Gloucester, afterwards Richard III ( although some scholars name Henry VII as the culprit). The Tower of London was used as a prison for many years and the "Pokers and Tongs" refer to the instruments of torture which were used there! We recommend castles.me.uk for fully comprehensive details regarding the Tower of London Picture of St John's Chapel "Bells of St Johns" in St John's Chapel in the White Tower of the Tower of London The Bells of St. Anne's The joint dedication of St Anne's and St Agnes church was mentioned in a grant given by Westminster Abbey in 1467. The original church was devastated during the Great Fire of London in 1666 and was the eleventh church built by Sir Christopher Wren and finished in 1680 (he built 49 churches and the new St Paul's Cathedral!) The church was hit by a bomb during World War II and required extensive reconstruction. The "Kettles and Pans" refer to the utensils sold by the coppersmiths who worked nearby. The Picture depicts fire-fighting in the City of London - fascinating it's worth a really close look! The Bells of Aldgate - Church of St. Botolph's The bells of Aldgate do not refer to principally to a church but to the Aldgate Bell foundry. A Master Founder, called Robert Chamberlain, can be traced back through records dated 1420. In 1588 another Master Founder called Robert Mott, who worked for the Aldgate Foundry from 1574 to1606, recast  one of the bells of the Church of St. Botolph's in Aldgate. The Church of St. Botolph's is mentioned in records dating back to 1125. St. Botolph was a pious Saxon Abbot who had built a monastery in Lincolnshire in 654AD. Saint Botolph is the Patron Saint of Boston, Massachusetts. The name was taken as a derivative of "Botolph's town" which became known "Boston". The current church was erected between 1725 and 1740 and dedicated to the Patron Saint of Travellers and Itinerants. The Church of St. Botolph's was known as the 'Prostitutes' church' because the ladies would solicit  their trade in this area. Catherine Eddowes, a victim of the notorious Jack the Ripper was seen drunk in the vicinity of the church on the night of her murder on 30th September 1888. The reference to "Old Father Bald Pate" relates to Saint Botolph. A bald pate was a colloquialism used to describe a bald-headed person. A Picture of St Botolph's Church in Aldgate, London               The Picture depicts Saint Botolph complete with 'bald pate' The Bells of St. Helen's A Benedictine nunnery originally formed part of the church which dates back to 1210. In 1538 the nunnery was surrendered to King Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The convent buildings and land was acquired in 1543 by the Leathersellers' Company. The church was frequented by many rich merchants who lived in the area. These included a Mercer (cloth trader) called Sir John "Rich" Spencer. He became Lord Mayor of London in 1594 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. As his nickname indicates he was extremely wealthy as well as being very mean. He also operated as a money lender and explains the reference "You owe me Ten Shillings" in the rhyme. William Shakespeare attended this church ( the Bard was also involved in money lending and in 1570 his father John Shakespeare, also a leather seller, was accused in the Exchequer Court of Usury for lending money at the rate of 20% and 25% Interest)  Picture of St. Helen's Church, Bishopsgate The Bells of Old Bailey - St. Sepulchre-without-Newgate Church The Old Bailey did not have its own bell - it refers to the bells of St. Sepulchre-without-Newgate church and the bell of Newgate prison! St. Sepulchre-without-Newgate is the largest church in the City of London and was sited opposite London's courthouse and the infamous Newgate prison which housed both criminals and debtors. The bell of St. Sepulchre marked the time ( death knell ) of imminent executions until Newgate prison acquired its own bell. A church has stood on this site since 1137. It was originally called St Edmund-King-and-Martyr but the name was changed during the Crusades to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The church was a useful meeting point for the Knights embarking on a crusade as it was positioned just outside a city gate. The church was destroyed by the Great Fire of London and rebuilt by Wren in 1671. The medieval courthouse of London was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and was replaced by London's Central Criminal Court which was used during 1673 -1834. The local name for the court was the 'Old Bailey' which was so-called after the street in which it was located Bailey Street) which was right next to Newgate Prison. The phrase "When will you pay me?" refers to the Debtors housed in Newgate Prison and those tried at the Old Bailey. Picture of Newgate Prison and the Old Bailey The Bells of Shoreditch - St Leonard's Church, Shoreditch The Bells of Shoreditch refer to those housed in St Leonard's Church, on Kingsland Road in Shoreditch - now part of the London Borough of Hackney. There has been a Church on the site of St. Leonards since 12th Century. St Leonards was often frequented by Elizabethan actors as it was located near to the first purpose built theatre called 'The Theatre' and also in close proximity to the 'Curtain Theatre'. The current church, was built rebuilt in 1740 but its churchyard still holds earlier graves including those of many actors including William Shakespeare's friend and builder of the Curtain Theatre, Richard Burbage. The area was considered a very poor district of London. In 1774, the Shoreditch Vestry levied a special poor rate for the purpose of setting up a workhouse for the parish of St Leonard's which illustrates the level of poverty in the area. The hopeful phrase " When I grow rich" must have been echoed by many of the inhabitants of Shoreditch. Picture of poor children begging - which could well illustrate a scene from a poverty stricken Stepney The Bells of Stepney - St Dunstan's Church, Stepney St Dunstan's Church is located on Stepney High Street. A church has stood on the site prior to 952AD, when a stone church was erected, replacing the previous wooden structure. The existing building is the third church to be built on this site and was erected in 1580. There are ten bells in the belfry, dating back to 1385, some which were made at the local Whitechapel Bell Foundry. St Dunstan's has a long traditional link with the sea and it was once known as the 'Church of the High Seas'. Many sailors were buried in the churchyard. The phrase "When will that be?" could possibly refer to wives waiting for sailors to return from voyages with their fortunes, when their 'boat came in'. This was particularly relevant during the 16th and 17th centuries when many sailors were employed on Voyages of Discovery to the New Worlds - their wives would have to wait for their return to receive any wages, but they never knew how long the voyages might be - a two year wait was not uncommon! A typical City Street scene The Bells of Bow - Church of St Mary-le-Bow St Mary-le-Bow is a historic church in the City of London, off Cheapside. There has been a church on this site dating back to before the arrival of the Normans in 1066. In 1469 the first reference to Bow bells were made in relation to the building of the steeple. In 1631 the poet and Minister John Donne (1572-1631) died and left a bequest for the upkeep of Bow bell. John Donne wrote the famous poem 'For whom the bell tolls' (No man is an island)! The current building was built by Sir Christopher Wren between 1670 and 1680, after the Great Fire of London destroyed the previous church. Dick Whittington - Lord Mayor of London! Dick Whittington, who the famous children's story and pantomime is based on, was a real person (1350 - 1423). He was a Mercer (a dealer in cloth) and was elected Lord Mayor of London four times. In the children's story Dick Whittington leaves London with his cat but is called back by the sound of the ringing of Bow bells. Cockneys! The Bow bells are important to the traditions of London and it is said that to be a true cockney you must be born within hearing distance of the sound Bow bells. Based on this fact there were no Cockneys born between 11th May 1941 (when the bells were destroyed in a World War II German air raid) and  21st December 1961 (when the Bells rung for the first time after 20 years of restoration work). The BBC used the peal of the bells of Bow at the start of each broadcast to occupied Europe during World War II. Picture of St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside http://www.rhymes.org.uk/london-bridge-is-broken-down.htm