St Mary-le-Bow: A Church That Helped Shape London
Deep in the heart of the City of London stands a church that has witnessed conquest, rebellion, fire, war and renewal. St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside is far more than just another Wren church – it is a symbol of London’s endurance and identity. Its bells have shaped Cockney folklore, its arches have withstood nearly a thousand years of history, and its stories echo across the centuries.
📚Have a read: Cheapside Through the Ages: From Romans to the Mediaeval Era
A Norman Power Statement
There has been a church on this site since the late 1080s, founded under William the Conqueror for Archbishop Lanfranc of Canterbury. It served as the London headquarters of the Archbishops of Canterbury and played a vital role in imposing Norman influence over the city. Like the Tower of London, it was built using stone imported from Caen in Normandy. To medieval Londoners, these great stone structures must have appeared as cold monuments of foreign rule – buildings of power and control. Today, however, they are amongst the best loved historical landmarks in London.
Spiritual Authority and Legal Power
St Mary-le-Bow is not just architecturally significant; it has also played a legal and religious role throughout English history. Since 1250 it has been home to the Court of Arches, the highest ecclesiastical court for the southern Province of Canterbury. Remarkably, it still functions as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s London church, with archiepiscopal visits continuing to this day.
The Norman Crypt
Beneath the church lies one of the most atmospheric crypts in London. Dating from around 1080, it survives from the original Norman church, complete with sturdy round arches that inspired its Latin name: Santa Maria de Arcubus – St Mary of the Arches, or Bow. For years it housed a restaurant, but the space is now being transformed into a wine bar, Humble Grape Bow Lane, due to open next month. It will be a rare chance to enjoy a glass of wine below one of London’s oldest surviving Norman structures.
The Medieval Curfew Bell
For centuries, St Mary-le-Bow was essential to daily life in the City. In 1469, the Court of Common Council declared that the principal curfew bell must be rung here at 9pm every night. Impatient apprentices would wait for the bell to signal the end of their working day – and when it rang late, they voiced their frustration in verse:
“Clarke of the Bow Bell with the yellow lockes,
For thy late ringing thy head shall have knockes.”
To which the proud bellringer replied:
“Children of Cheape, hold you all still,
For you shall have the Bow Bell rung as you will.”
Fires, Storms and Collapse
St Mary-le-Bow has faced disaster repeatedly:
- 1091 – A tornado tore the roof off and hurled massive beams into Cheapside with such force they embedded themselves 4 feet deep in the ground.
- 1196 – The church burned down during a rebellion led by William Fitz Osbert.
- 1271 – Part of the tower collapsed into Bow Lane.
Each time, Londoners rebuilt it.
The Iconic Bow Bells
The bells of St Mary-le-Bow are world famous. Those born within earshot are considered true Cockneys. According to legend, they also changed London history by calling Dick Whittington back from Highgate to become Lord Mayor of London.
During the Second World War, the BBC broadcast the sound of Bow Bells to occupied Europe, using them as a symbol of hope and defiance.
Yet not everyone appreciated them. In the 19th century, a local resident, Mrs Elizabeth Bird of Bow Lane, complained that the bells were so loud they would “soon end her life”. Astonishingly, the City silenced the bells for two years. Mrs Bird lived on to hear them ring again for many years after.
The bells are also immortalised in the nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons:
“When will you pay me? say the bells of Old Bailey.
When I grow rich, say the bells of Shoreditch.
When will that be? say the bells of Stepney.
I do not know, says the Great Bell of Bow.”
Destroyed by Fire – Twice
The Great Fire of London destroyed the church in 1666. Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt it, moving the church 40 feet forward onto Cheapside and giving it a spectacular 68-metre spire – the second tallest of his creations after St Paul’s Cathedral.
The church was destroyed again during the Blitz in 1941, but once more Londoners brought it back to life. Architect Lawrence King led its post-war restoration, completed in 1964.
📚Have a read: The Firefighters Memorial: Honouring Our Heroes
The Golden Dragon of Cheapside
Look up to the top of the spire and you will see one of the City’s most striking features: a golden dragon, nine feet tall, perched proudly on a golden orb. Cast in copper in 1679 by Robert Bird, it bears the red cross of the City of London beneath its wings.
When the dragon was raised into position, acrobat Jacob Hall performed a high-wire act across the church roof to entertain the crowds – without a safety net. The City has never lacked courage or spectacle.
Visit St Mary-le-Bow
St Mary-le-Bow is more than a church: it is a story of London’s resilience, spirit and identity. From medieval curfews to wartime broadcasts, from Cockney legends to Norman stonework, this remarkable building continues to connect Londoners with their past.
Join one of my City Highlights Walks or book a City of London Highlights private tour to discover more about St Mary-le-Bow and the fascinating stories found in the streets of the Square Mile.
