Bishopsgate

[John Paul Adams]

David Willis:

>> I was told a tale about these bells by an ex London ringer and
>> wonder if it is correct.
>> 
>> As a result of bomb damage there is crack in the tower which opens
>> and closes as the bells ring. A ringer hanging his coat on the peg has
>> to ensure that no part of it slides into the crack because, if at the end
>> of the last touch the crack has closed, you have to leave your coat
>> there until next week!

By bomb damage, I assume you mean from WWII. The IRA bomb blast in 1994
that caused a fair amount of damage to Bishopsgate church was after the
1992 restoration.

It is a tale I have heard and makes a good story. There are indeed cracks
in the ringing chamber, the most serious one at the centre of the
supporting arch has been filled in recent times. None of these cracks was
large enough to catch a coat, but similarly as to what has been described
at Temple Chuurch, there is movement between the tower and the wooden
partition of the church. It could easily have been enough for a coat to be
caught and is in the right place.

The other story is that the street lights on Bishopsgate used to be
hung on wires across the street with one or more anchored to the tower.
These swayed when the bells were rung.

>> I last rang well before rehanging and several of the bells made trouble
>> for each other in making them either drop or go over the balance without
>> warning. I assume the rehang fixed all that?

Not entirely. It can only be speculation that any rehang would cure it.

Cheers,
John.

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