Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St Clements

When will that be? Say the bells of Stepney

One of the wonderful things about London is how much the place is steeped in history. No matter where you are in London, it seems you can’t turn around without stumbling on something of historical interest.

Our Christmas Day walk through the East End was no exception. Quite without meaning to we discovered the Bells of Stepney from the old children’s nursery rhyme.

Oranges and lemons
Say the bells of St Clements
You owe me five farthings
Say the bells of St Martins
When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey
When I grow rich
Say the bells of Shoreditch
When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney
I’m sure I don’t know
Says the great bell at Bow
Here comes a candle to light you to bed
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head
Chop chop chop chop the last man’s head!

We approached the church to admire the beautiful old building and church yard with its bare trees and mossy, emerald lawns dotted with stone crypts and gravestones. The sign by the door identified it as the Parish Church of St Dunstans and All Saints and added that it had been a church for more than 1,000 years! It’s apparently the mother church of all East End churches and is known as the Church of the High Seas because of the nearby port – this would explain why it was flying what appeared to be the admiralty flag.

I invented a dessert in honour of the occasion – I give the recipe over on The Gooseberry Fool.