Bells of the City of Westminster


 
All Saints
 

Marylebone, All Saints, Margaret Street


Photo: Dickon R Love, 24 Jan 2004

  • 2 bells hung for chiming with levers
  • Tenor: 9 cwt approx. in B♭.
  • Grid Ref: TQ292814
  • Formerly a ring of 3 until 1971,although probably never rung full circle.
  • Rung from: Ground Floor
  • Frame: Oak, 1858 John Warner & Sons for 5 bells.
  • Building Listed Grade: I. Click for Heritage details.


* Source of weight figures: RMWC estimate

Prior to 1967

Bell Weight Diameter Note Date Founder Retuned Fate
Tenor (of 3)28-0-1753⅞"E♭1858John Warner & SonsNeverBroken up 1967.

History

1789 St Margaret's chapel was built.
1849 Building started on the present church built, William Butterfield architect. This was the successor to the chapel. It was opened in 1859.
1858 3 bells were cast and hung in a new frame for 5 bells in the tower by John Warner and Sons. Of these bells, Lord Grimthorpe (to whose specification they were cast) said, "Bells sound better in a large chamber than a small one. Anyone who has heard the Doncaster bells will hardly believe that the three bells of All Saints, Margaret Street, are repetitions by the same founder of the 1st, 4th and tenor of Doncaster. But Doncaster bell chamber is 23 ft square, and Margaret Street not more than 14, or just two fifths of the area." The frame was a lowside oakframe (the missing bells being apparently D and G, muscailly the 2nd and 6th giving 1,2,4,6,8.
1895 The church was reopened after restoration on 22 Sept.
1958 Mears & Stainbank inspected and recommended part rehanging with new ironwork and chiming hammers, either electrically or manually operated.
1965 Mears & Stainbank recommended recasting the three bells into a chime of eight, tenor 6¼ cwt in C.
1966 Bells inspected by David Cawley. He reported that none of the bells appeared ever to have been rung full circle probably due to fears for the security of this tall slender brick tower with a spire 200 feet high. Only the treble had any appreciable soundbow wear. This bell had angular canons and had a cast-in crown staple; the two larger had Lord Grimthorpe's Doncaster head with independent staples.
1971 The tenor was broken up in the tower by Mears & Stainbank, who rehung the other two "dead"w ith lever-clappers.

Articles

  • "Report on the bells", Clouston, R M C, Technical consultant on Bells for the CCC () 5 March 1966


  • Love's Guide to the Bells of the City of Westminster Page updated: 15 April 2022