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Mary-le-Bow
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Location: St Mary-le-Bow, City of London, London, England, United Kingdom. (51°30′50″N 0°05′37″W).
Website: www.stmarylebow.co.uk
Phone: +44 20 7248 5139
St Mary-le-Bow
St Mary-le-Bow is a historic church in the City of London on the main east-west thoroughfare, Cheapside. According to tradition a true Cockney must be born within earshot of the sound of Bow Bells (which refers to this church's bells rather than St Mary and Holy Trinity, Bow Road, in Bow, which until the 19th century was an outlying village).
History of St Mary-le-Bow:
The sound of the bells of St Mary's is credited with having persuaded Dick Whittington to turn back from Highgate and remain in London to become Lord Mayor.
Traditionally, distances by road from London are now measured from Charing Cross but before the late 18th century were, for instance, measured from the London Stone in Cannon Street, or the "Standard" in Cornhill. On the road from London to Lewes the mileage is taken from the church door of St Mary-le-Bow. To emphasize the reference used, mileposts along the way are marked with a cast-iron depiction of a bow and four bells.
