As everyone knows, to be a true Cockney you have to be born within the sound of Bow Bells. What most people don't seem to know is that Bow Bells aren't in Bow. Which is a pity. Bow Bells are in fact the bells of St. Mary Le Bow, Cheapside, in the City of London. Nothing to do with the East End at all (apart from the fact that they were cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry).
Back in the 14th century the bells of St Mary-le-Bow rang out a curfew across central London at 9 o'clock to warn the locals that it was time for bed. The church was burnt to the ground in the Great Fire of London and then rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren. The BBC used the peal of Bow Bells at the start of every broadcast to occupied Europe during World War II, but that didn't stop the bells being destroyed again in the Blitz of 1941. Recent research has suggested that, given the right atmospheric conditions and an absence of traffic noise, the sound of Bow Bells could have been heard up to five miles away from Cheapside. That would include Bow, just about, so maybe we are really Cockneys out here after all.
Which brings us back to St Mary's church in Bow, 'that church in the middle of the road'. It may not be the official home of Bow Bells, but the local campanologists sure try to make up for that on a Tuesday night. A church was founded here in the time of Edward III to save the locals from having to walk to Stepney every Sunday. The main tower structure is 15th century, the font dates from Henry V's time and the organ from 1551. The upper part of the tower was rebuilt about 1829, being finished with battlements, an octagonal turret and two illuminated clocks. The tower suffered severe bomb damage in May 1941, as did everywhere around here it seems, and so the tower had to be rebuilt yet again. Old Victorian views of the church can be seen here, here and here, a fine modern photo is here, and take a 360° look around inside the church here.
In 1648 the Civil War came to Bow, which found itself sandwiched between Cavalier forces camped at Stratford and opposing Roundheads at Mile End. The people of Bow took sides against the crown, ill-advisedly as it turned out, and were forced to retreat inside Bow Church. Surrounded on all sides by soldiers the frightened civilians eventually caved in, and were forced to take an oath that they would never fight against the king's men again.
St Mary's church now stands alone in the middle of the A11, isolated on a small island, surrounded on all sides by a sea of traffic. Once the heart of a bustling medieval village, Bow Church has been swallowed whole by the road that created the village in the first place.
Places within 10 minutes walk of my house that people think are famous but in fact aren't
'I do not know says the Great Bell at Bow'.
In 1648 the Civil War came to Bow, which found itself sandwiched between Cavalier forces camped at Stratford and opposing Roundheads at Mile End. The people of Bow took sides against the crown, ill-advisedly as it turned out, and were forced to retreat inside Bow Church. Surrounded on all sides by soldiers the frightened civilians eventually caved in, and were forced to take an oath that they would never fight against the king's men again.
