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

Dec 12, 2022, 12:23 PM

Episode image
St. Clement's church in London plays a special musical set of chimes each day, partially based around the famous English nursery rhyme that features the bells of multiple old London churches - the rhyme goes like this:

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

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

When will you pay me?
Say the bells at Old Bailey.

When I grow rich,
Say the bells at Shoreditch.

When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.

I do not know,
Says the great bell at Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!
Chip chop chip chop the last man is dead.

Recorded by Cities and Memory.