St. Andrew’s Brockley: The Spire

The Spire of St. Andrew’s is a real landmark in the Borough. Visible from far and wide, it is sometimes lit for special occasions and celebrations.

Inside the Spire is a bell which was cast at the Gilbert and Johnson foundry in Croydon in 1884. Gilbert and Johnson cast many really famous bells including the fifty-three Carillon bells in the Peace Tower of the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa.

Our bell has a diameter of thirty seven and a half inches and holds the serial number 788. Over time, it developed a crack from the repeated striking of the clapper against the bell and is no longer able to be rung.

Over the years there have been discussions about installing an electronic bell system to enable the St. Andrew’s bell tower to sing again.