Grandsire Triples at St Laurence Jewry, City of London

Photo credits Euan Thomas.

An excerpt of a quarter peal of Grandsire Triples rung at St Laurence Jewry on Thursday 18th April 2024. Renowned for its magnificent set of eight bells. These bells have a booming quality, and their harmonics fill the ringing chamber with a deep resonance. The tenor bell, in particular, has a powerful roar, adding to the fantastic sound of the peal. Ringing on these bells is a joy, both for their tonal quality and the atmosphere they create.

The original bells, cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, were part of Wren’s post-fire reconstruction of the church and weighed an impressive 115 cwt. However, they were destroyed during the bombing of 1940, leaving only 25 cwt of melted metal. This was incorporated into the current peal of bells, also cast at Whitechapel, and installed in 1957. These newer bells are smaller due to concerns about the structural integrity of the tower following the bombing. As a result, the bells were placed lower in the tower, which was a more limited space. Despite their smaller size, the bells of St. Laurence Jewry are considered by many to be the finest peal of eight in the City of London.

St. Laurence Jewry’s history stretches back to the medieval era. Originally built in the 12th century and dedicated to St. Laurence, the church's weathervane is in the form of a gridiron, a symbol of his martyrdom. The church is near the former medieval Jewish ghetto, which centred around Old Jewry Street. From 1280, it became an advowson held by Balliol College, Oxford. The church’s unusual alignment is thought to be due to its location over the remains of the Roman amphitheatre, rediscovered in 1988 beneath the Guildhall Art Gallery.

Sir Thomas More once preached at the original church. By 1618, the church was repaired, with new stained glass windows funded by individual donors. However, the medieval church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and rebuilt by Christopher Wren between 1670 and 1677. The new design featured a grand east front with Corinthian columns supporting a pediment, although the facade has been critiqued for using the pediment more as decoration than as a structural element. Inside, the church boasts Corinthian columns and an ornate ceiling with wreaths and branches. The church spans 81 feet in length and 68 feet in width.

During the Blitz of 1940, the church sustained significant damage. Post-war, the City of London Corporation took responsibility for restoring it, as Balliol College lacked the necessary funds. Restoration, completed in 1957 by Cecil Brown, followed Wren’s original design. Today, the church functions as a guild church and no longer holds Sunday services. Sir John Betjeman once described it as "very municipal, very splendid." The church has been listed as a Grade I building since 1950.

St. Laurence Jewry is home to eight bells cast by Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1957, used for change ringing. The church has also been the burial site of notable figures such as John Tillotson, Archbishop of Canterbury, and merchant Francis Levett. Additionally, it is used by the New Zealand Society UK, which celebrates Waitangi Day there annually in February. Catherine Ennis served as the church’s organist until her passing on 24th December 2020.

Tenor 24-3-2 in Eb.

https://dove.cccbr.org.uk/tower/16020

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