St Mary-le-Bow

St Mary-le-Bow
View from Bow Churchyard
St Mary-le-Bow Location in Greater London
Location	Cheapside, City of London, EC2
Denomination	Church of England
History
Founded	1080
Founder(s)	Lanfranc
Dedication	Mary, Mother of Jesus
Architecture
Architect(s)	Sir Christopher Wren Laurence King (to Wren's design)
Administration
Province	Canterbury
Diocese	London
Archdeaconry	London
Deanery	The City
Benefice	St Mary-le-Bow

The Church of St Mary-le-Bow (/boʊ/) is a Church of England parish church in the City of London, England. Located on Cheapside, one of the city's oldest thoroughfares, the church was founded in 1080, by Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury.^[1] Rebuilt several times over the ensuing centuries, the present church is the work of Sir Christopher Wren, following the Great Fire of London (1666). With its tall spire, it is still a landmark in the City of London, being the third highest of any Wren church, surpassed only by nearby St Paul's Cathedral and St Bride's, Fleet Street. At a cost of over £15,000, it was also his second most expensive, again only surpassed by St Paul's Cathedral.^[2]

St Mary-le-Bow is widely known for its bells, which also feature in the nursery rhyme 'Oranges and Lemons'.^[3] According to legend, Dick Whittington heard the bells calling him back to the city in 1392, leading him to become Lord Mayor. Traditionally, anyone born within earshot of the bells was considered to be a true Londoner, or Cockney.^[1]

The church suffered severe damage by the Luftwaffe in the Second World War as part of the Blitz, like many churches in London. The interior was reduced to a shell and though the tower survived, fire damage made the bells crash to the floor. The church was sympathetically restored to its pre-war condition by Laurence King from 1956 to 1964.^[4] The church was awarded Grade I listed status, the highest possible rating, on the National Heritage List for England, whilst still a shell in 1950.^[5]