St Mary-le-Bow, Church building in Cheapside, City of London, United Kingdom
St Mary-le-Bow is an English Baroque church building in Cheapside, at the heart of the City of London. The red brick tower rises to 67 meters (221 feet) in height and is decorated with Portland stone details and large arches set over compound piers.
Christopher Wren rebuilt the church between 1670 and 1680 in English Baroque style after the Great Fire destroyed the medieval structure in 1666. Bombing during the Second World War gutted the interior, but the outer walls and tower survived and were later restored.
The name refers to the bows or arches in the crypt, which date back to Norman times and remain part of the foundation today. Anyone born within earshot of the bells is considered a true Cockney, linking the building to the identity of East London neighborhoods.
The building is open Monday through Friday between 7:30 AM and 6:00 PM, and generally closed on weekends. The nearest Underground stations are Bank, Mansion House, and St Paul's, all within a few minutes on foot.
The twelve bells appear in the nursery rhyme 'Oranges and Lemons', and local legend says their ringing persuaded Dick Whittington to return to London in 1392. A modern replica of the bells rings electronically at midday and 6 PM each weekday.
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