History

Oranges and Lemons A Circle of Church Bells in Medieval London

by RikCharbonneaux. To Your Health  
03/27/24
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In 1600AD Medieval London, the great majority of citizens lived in poverty. and were illiterate as well. Most were Christian and there was a church on almost every street*.

It was the bells of six of these churches that became both visual and audible location markers for this illiterate population, so they could know which sector of the city they were in.

A long-standing rhyme called "Oranges and Lemons" identifies these six churches by their bells and it was the original rhyme of 1600AD, before many more verses were added later:

"Oranges and lemons",
Say the bells of St. Clement's.

St. Clement's church on East Cheap, City of London. The phrase "oranges and lemons" was a common saying that referred to the large and varied amount of cargo being brought into London by merchant vessels into the great warehouses along the River Themes.

"You owe me five farthings,"
Say the bells of St. Martin's.

St Martin's Church, Ogar - Martin Lane, a medieval church was partially destroyed by the Great Fire of 1666AD and had ceased being a church in 1820AD. The area was known for money lenders, hence, "You owe me five farthings".

"When will you pay me?"
Say the bells of Old Bailey

The Old Bailey was a medieval courthouse (still being used today), which sentenced most debtors to the Newgate prison adjacent. Hence the "When will you pay me" portion of the rhyme.
"Say the bells of Old Bailey" referred to the the bells of St Sepulchre-without-Newgate, which was on the other side of the street.

"When I grow rich,"
Say the bells of Shoreditch

St. Leonards Church Shoreditch is known as the Actors Church (Shakespeare's era) and still has whipping posts and stocks on the front porch from the days when the Church decided almost every facet of human life. It was a very impoverished area, hence "When I grow rich,".

"When will that be?"
Say the bells of Stepney

St Dunstan’s of Stepney, one of the oldest churches in London, was an important maritime church for sailors.

"I do not know"
Say the great bells of Bow

St Mary le Bow Church is in East London, whose bells rang every evening at 9pm to strongly remind all people to return to their homes.

Little was the population prepared for the two disasters that would befall them in a few short years after the original lyrics to the rhyme "Oranges and Lemons" were finally written down in 1660:

1. The Bubonic Plague of 1665 would kill 1/5 of London's population. - The Royal Museums, Greenwich
2. The Great Fire of London in 1666 would burn down 87 churches of the original 109 churches, leaving only 22 churches intact. Amazingly, the six churches of "Oranges and Lemons" survived the Great Fire. - The London Museum