The church of St. Mary-le-Bow is probably best known for its peel of bells which have been woven into the folklore of the City of London for many centuries. According to tradition, a true Cockney or Londoner must be born within the sound of Bow Bells and folklore has it that these bells were also responsible for stopping Dick Whittington in his tracks, persuading him to return to become Lord Mayor of London. Anyone familiar with English nursery rhymes will doubtless know “Oranges and Lemons”, which includes the line  ‘I do not know says the Great Bell of Bow’. These bells also feature across the globe on the BBC World Service, where they are used as an interval feature which serves as a radio station identifier.

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