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St. Mary le Bow Church

Cheapside London EC2

This lovely church takes its name from the bow-shaped arches in the crypt, which was built in Norman times nearly 1000 years ago.  The original church was destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666 and Christopher Wren rebuilt it using beautiful arches as the theme in the steeple. You can see a weather vane high up on top of the steeple - it is in the shape of a dragon.

 

St Mary le Bow from the south - photo courtesy S Worsfold

The church was badly damaged during the Blitz in WWII, but was restored in 1956 when the famous bells were made by the Whitechapel Bell Fountry and then rehung in the steeple.  The bells of this church are significant to Londoners, because the old tradition is that only people who are born within the sound of Bow Bells can call themselves true "Cockneys".

 

 

Nearest Tube station:  St Pauls.


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