St. Mary-le-Bow

Frommer's Review

It's said that a true Cockney must be born within the sound of this church's famous Bow bells. The church has a sometimes-gruesome history. In 1091, its roof was ripped off in a storm; in 1271, the church tower collapsed and 20 people were killed; in 1331, Queen Philippa and her ladies-in-waiting fell to the ground when a balcony collapsed during a joust celebrating the birth of the Black Prince. Wren rebuilt the church after the Great Fire of 1666 engulfed it. The original "Cockney" Bow bells were destroyed in the Blitz but have been replaced. The church was rededicated in 1964 after extensive restoration work.

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