Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Westminster

Welcome to the Westminster section of Love's Guide. This site is maintained by Dickon Love as a place to record his research into belfry archaeology and history in the City of Westminster and Dickon is grateful to all those who have contributed to this research, particularly those listed below.

This information is taken from a more complete database, all of which is hoped to become available on this site. Any corrections, comments or additions would be gratefully received by .

Dickon Love is an active bellringer in the City of London and is a member and Past Master of the Ancient Society of College Youths, who are responsible for ringing the bells at the major towers in the City. He is also a member of the Cambridge University Guild, the Middlesex County Association & London Diocesan Guild and the Kent County Association. His primary interest is in the history of bells and bell towers, and the focus of his research is on the the Cities of London and Westminster and the County of Kent. He is Tower Keeper at St Magnus the Martyr and St Mary Woolnoth, Churchwarden at St Magnus the Martyr and Parish Clerk of St Clement Eastcheap. He makes his living as a management consultant working in central government.

Introduction from the Lord Mayor of Westminster

The City of Westminster boasts 10 interesting towers with rings of 8 or more bells, and a plethora of churches and other buildings with an enviable range of chimed bells, carillons and glockenspiels. As an active ringer in the City, may I commend this site as an excellent source of useful information about the rings and their histories.

For those of you who don’t ring, do follow the link to the website of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers to learn more about the fascinating art of English Church bell ringing.

For those of you who do, I hope you take the opportunity to visit and join one of the practices held at most of the towers. Details can be found through the website of the Middlesex County Association and London Diocesan Guild of Change Ringers.

Tim Joiner
Lord Mayor of Westminster
January, 2006

The City of Westminster

Westminster achieved the status of a city in 1540 when it became a bishopric. Its first recorded civic administration dates from 1586 in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, when an Act authorised the establishment of a Court of Burgesses. The London Government Act of 1899 established 28 Metropolitan Borough Councils, each having an elected Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors. A Royal Charter was granted on 29th October, 1900, reconfirming the status of Westminster as a City. The new City of Westminster incorporating the Boroughs of Paddington and St Marylebone was constituted by Royal Charter on 1st April 1965. This guide examines the bells in this newly constituted city.

Particular thanks go to...
Chris Pickford and Rev'd David Cawley for providing and QAing published information.

Latest Site Additions

24 May 13 - St Stephen's Westminster (pictures of belfry)
23 Nov 12 - Glockenpiel, Leicester Square
17 Oct - St Saviour Pimlico (inscriptions and pictures), St Gabriel Pimlico (pictures), The Queen's Tower, Imperial College
23 May 11 - St Margaret Westminster, Horse Guards
7 Mar - St Stephen, Westbourne Park
6 Mar 10 - St Barnabas School
14 Nov - St Barnabas Pimlico (now ringable)
10 Sep - St Barnabas Pimlico (new pic), St Stephen, Rochester Row, St James, Piccadilly
22 Jan - St George Hanover Sq
4 Oct - Articles on Big Ben and the Imperial Institute
29 Jun - Fortnum & Mason Store
22 Mar - St George, Hanover Square
21 Mar - Palace of Westminster, All Soul's, Langham Place
1 Feb - Atkinson's building
24 Jan - All Saints Margaret St (pic)
23 Jan 06 - Launch date.


Church Bells of the City of London	Church Bells of Kent	Church Bells of Prague