The early histories of the greater number of old buildings in London, both ecclesiastical and otherwise, are connected with so many and such strange events, placing vividly before us a state of society entirely different from what we are accustomed to, that they have the air rather of romantic fictions than of literal records; but serve nevertheless to show the changes which have taken place, and to impress strongly upon us, amongst other lessons, the advantages which have attended the spread of education. This must have been apparent in many of our former accounts, but in none is it more so than in that of the church we are about to illustrate, St. Mary-le-Bow, which, if not originally a Roman temple, as was generally believed, was one of the earliest churches built by our Norman conquerors; has been destroyed by storm and fire; was at one time garrisoned and besieged; and was afterwards the scene of an assassination. To go, however, a little more into detail :—
We first find mention of it as a Christian church in the reign of William the Conqueror. Stow says, it was the first in the city built on arches of stone, and that it was therefore called St. Mary de Arcubus, or the Bow; although he elsewhere says, but with less apparent probability, that it took its name from certain stone arches, supporting a lantern on the top of the tower.
In the year 1090, which was during the reign of William Rufus, the roof of the church was blown off by the wind, and four of the rafters were driven into the ground with such violence, that, although they were each twenty-six feet long, little more than four feet of their length was visible, the ground in the neighbourhood being then a mere feu. About a hundred years after this event a tumult of a serious nature occurred in the city, which led to the assault upon the church before alluded to. The ringleader was William Fitz Osbert, surnamed Long-beard, an individual of loose morals, who apparently possessed great talents, and was almost worshipped by the lower orders, on account of his exertions as a professed advocate for the poor, against the oppressions of the rich. An attempt being made to seize him, he took refuge in Bow steeple, together with various followers, and being well provided with ammunition and provisions, was able for a long time to defy the authorities. In order to drive him out, the steeple was fired. This had the desired effect; the rioters were made prisoners, and after a hasty trial were hanged at the Elms, in Smithfield, at that time the usual place of execution. It appears that Fitz Osbert did not lose his reputation amongst the people with his life: for it is said, that after his death vast numbers of persons resorted to Smithfield, expecting that miracles would be performed, and that they carried away as holy relics pieces of the earth on which his blood had fallen.
In 1271 part of the steeple, which probably had been much injured during the attack on Fitz Osbert, fell down, and caused the death of several persons. It seems, however, to have been repaired soon afterwards; for in 1284 we find that one Ducket, a goldsmith, who had seriously wounded a person named Ralph Crepin (under what circumstances is not mentioned), took refuge in this church, and slept in the steeple. While there, certain friends of Crepin entered during the night, and violating the sanctuary, first slew him, and then so placed the body as to induce the belief that he had committed suicide. A verdict to this effect was accordingly returned at the inquisition, and the body was interred with customary indignities. The real circumstances, however, being afterwards discovered through the evidence of a boy, who it appears was with Ducket in his voluntary confinement, the murderers, amongst whom was a woman, were apprehended and executed. On this occurrence, the church was interdicted for a time, and the doors and windows were stopped up with brambles.
The old steeple was not entirely rebuilt until 1469, when the Common Council ordered that Bow bell should be rung nightly at nine o’clock. In 1512 some additions were made to the upper part of the steeple, and Stow says, ” the arches, or hows thereupon, with the lanthorns, five in number, to wit, one at each corner, and one on the top in the middle, upon the arches, were afterwards finished with stone, brought from Caen in Normandy” It was proposed that there lanterns should have been glazed and illuminated, to serve as beacons for travellers: but it does not appear that this was ever done. The first rector mentioned by Newcourt is William de Cilecester, presented Feb. 1287; and the earliest monument in the church of which we have any record was in memory of Sir John Coventry, who was Lord Mayor in 1125. Weever gives his epitaph.
The advowson of St. Mary-le-Bow belongs to the Archbishop of Canterbury; it is the chief of his thirteen peculiars. By the great fire of 1660 the old church was destroyer; and in 1671 the present edifice was commenced by Sir Christopher Wren. After its erection, the parish was united to two others, namely, Allhallows, Honey-lane, and St. Pancrus, Soper-lane; and as the right of presenting to the latter of these is also vested in the Archbishop of Canterbury, and that of the former in the Grocers’ Company, the archbishop nominates twice consecutively to the united rectory, and then the Grocery Company nominates once. The present rector is the Rev. Archdeacon A. Hamilton.
The body of the church is not remarkable as an architectural composition, although in the interior it is bold and handsome. An arcade on either side divides it into a nave and side aisles, and on the face of these arcades rise Corinthian columns, terminated by an entablature which supports a large waggon-headed ceiling, ope mented with bands containing rosettes and foliage. There is a gallery in each aisle, which greatly interferes with the general effect of the interior. At the west end there is a small organ supported on the framing which encloses a doorway below. The altar-piece consists of Corinthian pilasters and entablature, bearing a pediment, surmounted by carved imitations of candles. The interior is well lighted by clere-story and other windows.
Campanili or bell towers, which probably first arose in Byzantium, and were not generally known earlier than the seventh or eighth century, were not originally an essential part of a church; but in those instances where they did occur were at some distance from it, and formed a distinct building. Wren has contrived, in all his churches, to preserve this character for his steeples as much as possible, by commencing them in all cases directly from the ground. In the beautiful example before us, being connected with the main building merely by a corridor, we obtain the campanile, for the most part in its proper shape-distinct and unattached, whereby the effect of its great height is increased, and its form, as the small proportion which the base bears to the height is more apparent, becomes picturesque and striking. To describe, or criticise at length, the steeple of Bow church would now be supererogatory. Opinion has stamped it as one of the most successful works of its class, both as regards design and construction, and with this opinion we perfectly agree.
The Illustrated London News, London, England, Week Ending October 8, 1842
