St Mary-le-Bow - Quiz
St Mary le Bow
  • 1. In what year is the earliest record of an organ at St Mary-le-Bow?
A) 1880
B) 1867
C) 1802
D) 1902
  • 2. Who built the small instrument of 13 stops and 2 manuals in 1802?
A) Hugh Russell
B) Christopher Hodson
C) George Maydwell Holdich
D) Kenneth Tickell
  • 3. Where was the 1802 organ situated?
A) In the south nave aisle
B) On a gallery above the west doors
C) In the churchyard
D) In the sanctuary at the eastern end
  • 4. Who rebuilt and enlarged the organ in 1867?
A) Rushworth and Draper
B) Walker & Sons
C) Hugh Russell
D) George Maydwell Holdich
  • 5. How many total stops did the organ have after George Maydwell Holdich rebuilt it in 1867?
A) 34
B) 13
C) 33
D) 24
  • 6. In what year was the 1802/1867 organ purchased by Walker & Sons?
A) 1880
B) 1867
C) 2004
D) 1956
  • 7. How much did Walker & Sons pay for the old organ in 1880?
A) £1,108
B) £380,000
C) £255
D) £500
  • 8. To which church was the 1867 organ transferred in 1880?
A) St Mary-le-Bow sanctuary
B) A church in London
C) St Mary Cray
D) Methodist Church at Thornton, Leicestershire
  • 9. How much did Walker & Sons' new instrument cost in 1880?
A) £1,108
B) £380,000
C) £1,000
D) £255
  • 10. How many stops did the 1880 Walker & Sons organ have?
A) 13
B) 33
C) 24
D) 34
  • 11. Where was the 1880 Walker & Sons organ situated?
A) In a temporary structure in the churchyard
B) Above the west doors
C) In the south nave aisle
D) In the sanctuary at the eastern end of the church
  • 12. Who removed the 1880 organ for safekeeping during the Blitz?
A) Walker & Sons
B) Hugh Russell
C) Kenneth Tickell & Co
D) Rushworth and Draper
  • 13. In what year was the post-war organ remodelled following the church restoration?
A) 2004
B) 2010
C) 1964
D) 1956
  • 14. How many of the original 33 stops were reinstated in the 1964 organ remodelling?
A) 24
B) 13
C) 18
D) 34
  • 15. Where was the new case for the 1964 organ installed?
A) Above the west door
B) In the sanctuary
C) In the churchyard
D) In the south nave aisle
  • 16. When did the church launch a project to replace the organ?
A) 1964
B) 2004
C) 2010
D) 1880
  • 17. Which organ builder was chosen for the 2004 replacement project?
A) George Maydwell Holdich
B) Kenneth Tickell & Co
C) Hugh Russell
D) Rushworth and Draper
  • 18. What was the total cost of the 2004 organ replacement project?
A) £255
B) £380,000
C) £1,108
D) £50,000
  • 19. When was the old organ removed during the 2004 replacement project?
A) January 2010
B) September 2010
C) December 2004
D) August 2010
  • 20. Whose work was the 1964 organ case based on, which was kept during the 2010 replacement?
A) Hugh Russell
B) George Maydwell Holdich
C) Christopher Hodson
D) The Alsace Silbermann family
  • 21. When was the new organ completed in 2010?
A) August 2010
B) September 2010
C) November 2010
D) January 2010
  • 22. Who gave the first recital on the new organ on 29 September 2010?
A) Dick Whittington
B) Thomas Trotter
C) Hugh Russell
D) George Maydwell Holdich
  • 23. How many stops does the new organ completed in 2010 have?
A) 34
B) 18
C) 33
D) 24
  • 24. How many manuals does the organ completed in 2010 have?
A) One
B) Three
C) Four
D) Two
  • 25. Where is the small chamber organ located in the church?
A) In the churchyard
B) Above the west doors
C) In the south nave aisle
D) In the sanctuary
  • 26. How many manuals and stops does the small chamber organ have?
A) 3 manuals and 24 stops
B) 2 manuals and 13 stops
C) 2 manuals and 34 stops
D) 1 manual and 5 stops
  • 27. What is said about the peal of bells at St Mary-le-Bow?
A) They were built by Hugh Russell
B) They are the oldest bells in England
C) They are often considered to be the most famous peal in the world
D) They were never damaged by fire
  • 28. According to legend, who heard the bells in 1392 calling him back to London?
A) Christopher Hodson
B) Henry VIII
C) Richard (Dick) Whittington
D) Edward VI
  • 29. What is the earliest written record of bells at the church?
A) 1469
B) 1515
C) 1392
D) 1666
  • 30. What did the Common Council order in 1469 regarding the bells?
A) A peal should be rung for Dick Whittington
B) Five bells should be installed
C) A curfew bell should be rung at 9.00 each evening
D) The bells should be moved to the sanctuary
  • 31. Who gave money in 1515 for a 'great bell' to be installed to announce the curfew?
A) Edward VI
B) Richard Whittington
C) William Copland
D) Hugh Russell
  • 32. Whose merchant was William Copland?
A) Henry VIII
B) Edward VI
C) Dick Whittington
D) Christopher Hodson
  • 33. How many bells did the tower contain after William Copland's gift?
A) Thirteen bells
B) Five bells
C) Six bells
D) Eight bells
  • 34. In what year was the survey of church goods ordered by Edward VI that recorded five bells and two sanctus bells?
A) 1552
B) 1635
C) 1469
D) 1515
  • 35. How many bells were recorded in the tower in 1635?
A) Seven
B) Five
C) Eight
D) Six
  • 36. What event damaged the bells, tower, and church beyond repair in 1666?
A) A severe storm
B) An internal explosion
C) The Blitz
D) The Great Fire of London
  • 37. Who cast the tenor bell of the proposed ring of eight in 1669?
A) Hugh Russell
B) Christopher Hodson
C) George Maydwell Holdich
D) William Copland
  • 38. Where was the 1669 tenor bell initially placed before the tower was completed?
A) In the south nave aisle
B) In the sanctuary
C) At the Methodist Church at Thornton
D) In a temporary structure in the churchyard
  • 39. Approximately how much did the 1669 tenor bell weigh?
A) 24 long cwt (1,200 kg)
B) 33 long cwt (1,650 kg)
C) 52 long cwt (2,600 kg)
D) 13 stops
  • 40. In what year did Christopher Hodson cast the remaining seven bells?
A) 1802
B) 1669
C) 1677
D) 1666
  • 41. In what type of new frame were all eight bells hung in the newly completed tower in 1677?
A) A new oak frame
B) A gallery frame
C) A metal frame
D) A temporary wooden structure
  • 42. On which London thoroughfare is the church located?
A) The Strand
B) Cheapside
C) Fleet Street
D) Piccadilly
  • 43. In what year was the church founded?
A) 1080
B) 1066
C) 1200
D) 950
  • 44. Who founded the church in 1080?
A) Gundulf
B) Lanfranc
C) William the Conqueror
D) Sir Christopher Wren
  • 45. In what year did the Great Fire of London occur?
A) 1666
B) 1940
C) 1080
D) 1392
  • 46. Among Wren churches, how high is the spire of St Mary-le-Bow?
A) Tallest
B) Fourth highest
C) Third highest
D) Second highest
  • 47. Which Wren church has a higher spire than St Mary-le-Bow?
A) All Hallows-by-the-Tower
B) St Martin-in-the-Fields
C) St Clement Danes
D) St Bride's, Fleet Street
  • 48. What title did Dick Whittington achieve after hearing the bells?
A) Bishop of Rochester
B) King of England
C) Archbishop
D) Lord Mayor
  • 49. Traditionally, what is someone born within earshot of the bells considered to be?
A) A Cockney
B) A Saxon
C) A Norman
D) An aristocrat
  • 50. Which military force severely damaged the church in the Second World War?
A) The French Navy
B) The Spanish Armada
C) The Luftwaffe
D) The Royal Air Force
  • 51. During which wartime campaign was the church damaged?
A) The Great War
B) The Battle of Britain
C) D-Day
D) The Blitz
  • 52. Who restored the church from 1956 to 1964?
A) Gundulf
B) Sir Christopher Wren
C) Lanfranc
D) Laurence King
  • 53. What listed status was awarded to the church while it was still a shell in 1950?
A) Grade III
B) Grade II
C) Grade I
D) Grade II*
  • 54. What type of building may have stood on the site prior to the Norman Conquest, according to excavations?
A) A Viking longhouse
B) An earlier Saxon building
C) A Roman temple
D) A Norman castle
  • 55. How many major buildings were constructed as part of the Norman policy to dominate London?
A) Four
B) Three
C) Two
D) Five
  • 56. Which of the following was NOT one of the three major Norman buildings constructed to dominate London?
A) A church on Cheapside
B) Westminster Abbey
C) St Paul's Cathedral
D) The Tower of London
  • 57. What stone was used to construct the early church on Cheapside?
A) Caen stone
B) Cotswold stone
C) Bath stone
D) Portland stone
  • 58. From where was the construction stone for the early church imported?
A) Normandy
B) Rome
C) Scotland
D) Wales
  • 59. What was located partially below street level in the early church?
A) An undercroft
B) A burial vault
C) A treasury
D) A dungeon
  • 60. What architectural feature of the lower church was considered a novelty at the time?
A) Flying buttresses
B) Ribbed vaulting
C) Round stone arches
D) Stained glass windows
  • 61. What was the original Latin name of the church derived from its arches?
A) Sancta Maria de Arcubus
B) Sancta Maria ad Murum
C) Sancta Maria Nova
D) Sancta Maria in Campis
  • 62. What does the word 'bow' mean in the historical name St Mary-le-Bow?
A) Rivers
B) Arches
C) Bells
D) Spire
  • 63. In what year was the church nearing completion when it was destroyed by a tornado?
A) 1271
B) 1091
C) 1196
D) 1251
  • 64. How long were the roof rafters that were thrown into the air by the 1091 tornado?
A) 35-40 feet
B) 10-12 feet
C) 27-28 feet
D) 50-52 feet
  • 65. What natural disaster destroyed the church in 1091?
A) A massive flood
B) A violent tornado
C) An earthquake
D) A severe hurricane
  • 66. What happened to William Fitz Osbert as he fled the burning church in 1196?
A) He was captured and imprisoned
B) He escaped successfully
C) He died in the fire
D) He was fatally stabbed
  • 67. In what year was the Court of Arches founded?
A) 1091
B) 1196
C) 1251
D) 1271
  • 68. In what year did the church tower partially collapse in its south west corner?
A) 1271
B) 1363
C) 1512
D) 1251
  • 69. From what year onwards was the tower's principal use the housing of the city's curfew bell?
A) 1271
B) 1448
C) 1363
D) 1512
  • 70. How far away could the curfew bell be heard?
A) London Bridge
B) Westminster Abbey
C) The Tower of London
D) Hackney Marshes
  • 71. In what year was the tower finally completed with stone lanterns?
A) 1512
B) 1479
C) 1363
D) 1271
  • 72. How many stone lanterns were positioned around the corners of the tower?
A) Two
B) Three
C) Four
D) Five
  • 73. How far was Pudding Lane from St Mary-le-Bow?
A) 0.4 kilometres
B) 1.2 kilometres
C) 0.7 kilometres
D) 5.5 kilometres
  • 74. How many houses were consumed in the first night of the fire?
A) 50
B) 300
C) 1666
D) 51
  • 75. On which day of the week was the fire finally extinguished?
A) Wednesday
B) Thursday
C) Sunday
D) Tuesday
  • 76. Which part of St Mary-le-Bow survived the Great Fire, though damaged?
A) The tower
B) The main body of the church
C) The altar
D) The undercroft
  • 77. When was Christopher Wren appointed King's Surveyor of Works?
A) 1670
B) 1669
C) 1666
D) 1680
  • 78. How many city churches consumed by the fire was Wren's office contracted to rebuild?
A) 50
B) 3
C) 51
D) 300
  • 79. By what year was the body of the rebuilt church completed?
A) 1673
B) 1670
C) 1680
D) 1669
  • 80. In what year was the tower of St Mary-le-Bow finally completed?
A) 1673
B) 1666
C) 1680
D) 1670
  • 81. What material was used to build the rest of the church?
A) Marble
B) Brick
C) Concrete
D) Portland stone
  • 82. What nickname was given to the prominent new tower?
A) The Pudding Lane beacon
B) The Roman Causeway
C) Wren's Folly
D) The 'Cheapside pillar'
  • 83. In what year did the church cease to be a 'peculiar'?
A) 1867
B) 1850
C) 1820
D) 1914
  • 84. In what year were the galleries removed from the church?
A) 1867
B) 1850
C) 1914
D) 1879
  • 85. When did the church take several direct hits during the Blitz?
A) 10–11 May 1940
B) 10–11 May 1964
C) 10–11 May 1950
D) 10–11 May 1941
  • 86. Whose designs were used for the rebuilding of the church between 1956 and 1964?
A) Trinity Church's designs
B) Wren's designs
C) King's original designs
D) Gwilt's designs
  • 87. In what year did the church achieve Grade I listed status?
A) 1950
B) 1941
C) 1964
D) 1820
  • 88. What was the condition of the church when it achieved Grade I listed status in 1950?
A) A ruin
B) A functioning hospital
C) Undergoing demolition
D) Fully restored
  • 89. What is the overall plan shape of the church building?
A) Cruciform
B) Rectangular
C) Octagonal
D) Circular
  • 90. Where is the tower situated on the church building?
A) Northeast corner
B) Northwest corner
C) Southwest corner
D) Southeast corner
  • 91. What separates the tower from the main body of the church?
A) A crypt
B) A chancel
C) A vestibule
D) A gallery
  • 92. How are the north and south aisles described in the text?
A) Two-story
B) Extremely narrow
C) Non-existent
D) Very wide
  • 93. What adjoins the vestibule to the north of the north aisle?
A) A crypt
B) A chancel
C) A tower
D) A vestry
  • 94. What is the total area of the church building?
A) 250 square metres (2,690 sq ft)
B) 761 square metres (8,190 sq ft)
C) 1,000 square metres (10,764 sq ft)
D) 500 square metres (5,380 sq ft)
  • 95. According to the Church of England, how is the church building classified based on its size?
A) Large
B) Cathedral-sized
C) Small
D) Medium
  • 96. What order of columns flanks the substantial stone recess of the doorways?
A) Tuscan
B) Doric
C) Ionic
D) Corinthian
  • 97. What order of columns are the doorways actually set between inside the recesses?
A) Tuscan
B) Ionic
C) Composite
D) Doric
  • 98. What do the Tuscan order columns inside the recesses support?
A) A moulded entablature
B) An open balustrade
C) A Doric frieze
D) A pediment
  • 99. What type of window is on the third stage of the tower?
A) Gothic arched windows
B) A single round-headed window
C) Two large square windows
D) Triple lancet windows
  • 100. What divides each bell opening into three sections?
A) Wooden beams
B) Stone columns
C) Iron bars
D) Thin mullions
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