Last updated on August 23rd, 2023 at 12:07 pm
Not to be confused with the sound that a cockney makes…
There has been a church on the site of St Mary le Bow, on London’s Cheapside, since Saxon times. And this is where Cockneys come from. Or, rather, a Cockney is deemed to be one born within earshot of the sound of St Mary le Bow’s bells. The great bell of Bow appears in the old nursery rhyme, Oranges and Lemons – just before the bit that goes “Here comes a candle to light you to bed, and here comes a chopper to chop off your head”. And of course it was Bow bells that told Dick Whittington to turn back because he would thrice be Lord Mayor of London: he did – and he was; not only that, but he also got rich, married Alice and they lived happily ever after. From the 14th century, St Mary le Bow rang London’s principal curfew bell at 9pm each day. And during the Second World War, the recorded sound of Bow bells broadcast by the BBC was thought to inspire hope to those under enemy occupation.
This Cockney business could be a bit fore and aft, though. Apparently, someone (I don’t know who and it doesn’t matter) did some tests in 2000 to see how far away Bow Bells could be heard. It turned out to be quite a distance, taking in Bethnal Green, Bow, Hackney, Hoxton, Limehouse, Mile End, Millwall, Poplar, Shoreditch, Spitalfields, Stepney, Wapping, Whitechapel – and even Bermondsey, sarf o’ the rivah. Well, that’s encouraging, because somewhere else I read that Cockneys are an endangered species. This is because the sound of Bow bells is being muffled by 21st century noise pollution and, obviously, this means that fewer Cockneys are being born. The situation is not helped by there being no maternity ward nearby so, for some, the only option must be to call a taxi when the time is near, or have an mp3 file of the bells handy in the overnight bag.
Medieval Cheapside was a bustling market and a major processional route. St Mary le Bow must have stood out more then: these days it seems, like many other City churches, rather hemmed in by everything that goes on around it; easy to miss. Hard up against one side is a nondescript office building; on the other, the old churchyard has been turned into a neatly paved public area, where people linger over a beverage. City folk spill like bees from a burst hive out of the crypt, part of which is occupied by a trendy café where parishioners’ bones used to lie.
In the middle of the paved area, there’s a splendid statue of Captain John Smith (1579-1631), soldier, adventurer, explorer and author. Smith was not a Cockney; but he was a parishioner of St Mary’s and a member of the Cordwainers’ Company – shoemakers who used goatskin leather from Cordoba. Setting sail from nearby Blackwall in 1606, John Smith was one of the founders of the Jamestown settlement, the first permanent English settlement in America, and was also a legendary friend of Pocahontas. The statue is a replica of one in Jamestown, USA, and was presented to the Corporation of London by the Jamestown Foundation of the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1960.
Back to St Mary le Bow. A Norman church was built in around 1080, replacing whatever had been there before, though this new structure was badly damaged by a tornado. A fire in 1196 then necessitated substantial rebuilding, incorporating supporting arches – or bows – which gave St Mary’s its name – and the place was wrecked yet again by London’s Great Fire of 1666. Christopher Wren’s reconstructed church was, allegedly, his most ambitious after St Paul’s and supposedly based on the Basilica of Maxentius in Rome. The steeple is 223 feet (68m) high. The Wren building was in turn largely destroyed by a German bomb on the night of 11th/12th May 1941 and was rebuilt most recently between 1956 and 1964. It has a much richer history than this; I am being lazy. Picking up on our earlier theme, the 1941 raid brought the bells down and they were not restored until 21st December 1961 – so no Cockneys were born for twenty years. This, and other periods when the bells have been silent, must have had a devastating effect on the Cockney population.
As one more used to the relatively plain decor of most British parish churches, the extravagant interior of St Mary le Bow struck me as almost Roman. Which, given Wren’s alleged inspiration, I suppose makes sense. No criticism intended, for it’s no concern of mine – and it is in any event beautiful; magnificent, even. But there must have been a large pot of cash sloshing about when it was done.
St Mary le Bow is the Australian church in London. Inside, there is a bust of Admiral Arthur Philip (1738-1814), who commanded the first shipment of convicts to Australia, went on to become the first governor of New South Wales – and who had been baptised in the parish. The rood, depicting the Crucifixion and hanging over the altar, was a gift from the Federal Republic of Germany in 1964. There is also a bronze relief of St George and the Dragon, given to the church by the King and people of Norway to honour Norwegian resistance during the Second World War.
Apologies for the quality of the photographs – I only had my mobile phone with me on this visit.
Finally, I thought it would be fun to search for ‘famous Cockneys’ on line. What comes up are lists of almost anyone born somewhere in the vicinity of London who doesn’t have an RP (Received Pronunciation) accent. Whoever publishes some of this rubbish is ‘avin a larf. One site lists Adele (born in Tottenham), David Beckham (Leytonstone) and Phil Collins (Chiswick) – all of which seem a bit far away to me; more estuary than spring, perhaps. Another site even mentions Bob Hoskins, who was born about eighty miles away in Bury St Edmunds. The following might be more certain Cockney claimants: Michael Caine (or Maurice Micklewhite, born in Rotherhithe – close enough?), Charlie Chaplin (Walworth – pushing it?), Len Goodman (Bethnal Green), the Kray brothers (Hoxton), Dizzee Rascal, George Carey and Harry Redknapp (Bow), Alan Sugar, Ray Winstone and Marc Bolan (Hackney), Ronnie Lane (Plaistow), Vera Lynn (East Ham), Terence Stamp and Steven Berkoff (Stepney) and Barbara Windsor (Shoreditch). Is that a ringing endorsement?
Gordon Bennet ! Have visited this church as all cockneys should do so if able ,at least once in their life.A beautiful church & wonderful history.The term cockney has come to encompass ALL Londoners.Though those of us born officially within its chimes are v.proud of this fact.
Many people think the Bow bells bit relates to Bow in East London and not this church, they would of course be wrong. You are right about the lack of maternity wards and even the low amount of young families living within reach of this church these days. As for famous Cockneys I would add another name to your list, though I am doubtful he was born within the sound of Bow bells. That would be motorcycle racing superstar Barry Sheene who was born at the King’s Cross end of Grays Inn Road. I always say the way to tell a real Londoner is ask them how to say Plaistow and Marylebone. That sorts them out!
Great comment – thanks!
Very good to learn what makes a Cockney
Thanks you – and thanks for joining in!
Was born in Upton Park (walking distance from old West Ham Football grounds). Proud to have grown up being told am a Cockney – born within the sound of Bow Bells. At that time (1945) there sure we’re not as many buildings – do you think I am a true Cockney ?
I’m sure you must be, Jan. Mind you, as I say, if the bells were silent from 1941 to 1961 – no Cockneys can have been born between those years! 🙂
My Dad and I were born in Bow, my Dad in 1920.. he’s genuine, me in 1949 but what they don’t know…
In an incredibly class contious society those with a Cockney accent were from the other side of the tracks.
We waved. (Oct.4)
Someone waved back 🙂
Nothing wrong with your photo’s, and it is a very nice church.
All the best Jan
Thanks to you I have now seen it. The Church that made my dad, granddad and many before them a cockney. They were all born in Hackney.
Your photos made with your mobile phone do very nicely, I think!
We just listened to an old video we made when our son was very young and my husband sounded just like Michael Caine! LOL! His Dad was from Holburn, so…maybe not Cockney but close!
So that’s the origin of the term. Beautiful church!
I think there must have been quite a heap of spare cash available over the centuries for all the re-builds this lovely church has had. If only I could think of a scheme to get our church on the tourist trail and rake in lots of lovely money! The photos are wonderful! No need for apologies there! 🙂
Very interesting church. A corner of London I know nothing about.
That church is certainly very pretty and got my attention right away; but I’m a “Roman”, as you say. You see, I understood that remark! 😀 At the library (where I work) in the childrens’ department, we have a CD of Old English Nursery Rhymes, and I’ve heard it many times. I can hear them saying loudly, “here comes a chopper to chop off your head”. I recently read a novel of the life of St. Thomas More, and it seems that some of them originated from that period.
St Mary le Bow is the Australian church in London, but is that only because there is a bust of Admiral Arthur Philip (1738-1814) inside?
Of the 23 million Australians alive, half a million of us are living in Britain at any one time. On election day here, you cannot get into Australia House in London. Perhaps it is the same for St Mary le Bow church 🙂
Ha, I always find a good chuckle in your pieces along with the history lesson. I haven’t been inside, only passed by the exterior, and I am surprised by what the interior looks like.
My Mum had me in a maternity hospital and took me back to Tottenham. The place is no longer there but I have always claimed Cockney status – provided a frost and following wind!
Hi Mike – I hadn’t realised that church bells were used as curfew time … I can understand the ringing of them during the War … love your comments about the loss of the species! The bells in clearer days were heard for miles weren’t they …
Fascinating to read about Captain John Smith … and the Cordoba leather for shoes … it’s a handsome statue …
Magnificent church – with so much history. Definitely worth a visit sometime … thanks for all this – your information is always a great read – cheers Hilary
Wow I do like churches and this church sounds amazing, all in all this was a bloody great post
Hi Mike, Your posts always give me a good chuckle. 😀 This was very interesting info. about St. Mary le Bow — what a beautiful interior!! Now I love to hear a real Cockney accent; I always think of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” when I think of Cockney — and Michael Caine of course. 😉 I’ve never heard of Received Pronunciation; it would be interesting to learn more about that. When watching British TV, I can identify what I call an “upper crust” accent and also the northern accents like Liverpool and Manchester.
I’m sorry I haven’t visited in awhile; I’m trying to get caught up with everyone. My dad has been in the hospital for the past five weeks, so we’ve had a lot going on. I hope you have a great week!!
Hugs,
Denise
RP is meant to be a fairly neutral British accent, possibly a bit middle-class BBC for some people! Think David Dimbleby. I always thought the chaps from Pink Floyd had RP accents – they’re from Cambridge. Hope all is well…
This post is full of the stuff that makes us love England. Always looking for a relatively cheap(side) place to eat, The Place Below at St. Mary le Bow fits the bill nicely. And the first person who pops to mind when I hear the word Cockney is Michael Caine. I wonder how old a kid is before they’re fluent in Cockney rhyming slang. It’s the oddest and most fascinating thing.
Lovely 1837 engraving. Interesting to learn of the Jamestown connection. Can you go to Google Translate and have a sentence translated into Cockney ? And why not ?