Antique English Watercolor Church of St Mary-Le-Bow London Circa 1900

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A very fine antique English watercolor painting of the old Church of St Mary-le-Bow Cheapside London circa 1900. Watercolor on … Read more A very fine antique English watercolor painting of the old Church of St Mary-le-Bow Cheapside London circa 1900. Watercolor on paper unsigned presented double matted and framed in a quality antique hand carved gilt wood frame. The watercolor measures 9 x 13" overall framed size 17 x 22".

The Church of St Mary-le-Bow is a Church of England parish church in the City of London. Located on Cheapside, one of the city's oldest and most important thoroughfares, the church was founded in 1080 by Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury. Rebuilt several times over the ensuing centuries, the present church is the work of Sir Christopher Wren, widely acknowledged to be one of his finest creations. With its tall spire, it is still a landmark in the City of London, being the third highest of any Wren church, surpassed only by nearby St Paul's Cathedral and St Bride's, Fleet Street. At a cost of over £15,000, it was also his second most expensive, again only surpassed by St Paul's Cathedral.

St Mary-le-Bow is internationally famous for its bells, which also feature in the nursery rhyme 'Oranges and Lemons'.[3] According to legend, Dick Whittington heard the bells calling him back to the city in 1392, leading him to become Lord Mayor. Traditionally, anyone born within earshot of the bells was considered to be a true Londoner, or Cockney.

The church suffered severe damage by the Luftwaffe in the Second World War as part of the Blitz, like many churches in London. The interior was reduced to a shell and though the tower survived, fire damage meant the bells crashed to the floor. The church was sympathetically restored to its pre-war condition by Laurence King from 1956 to 1964. The church was awarded Grade I listed status, the highest possible rating, on the National Heritage List for England, whilst still a shell in 1950. See less