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94
Wren, Mr. Oliver &c. and what damage shall happen by pulling
down of the said steeple, the Churchwardens shall be indemnified
by this Vestry.
The Charter was brought to light a short time since, and
may be seen at the Town Hall. It contains a recital that
"our trusty and well-beloved Sir Christopher Wren" had
estimated the value of the gift at £224, so that the net
result was greater than expected.
By January in the next year the tower had been demolished,
and in March a certificate, of which the subjoined is
a copy, was produced to the Vestry:—
We whose names are under written did on the third of February
169 8/9 cause the great bell called the Edward of Westminster to
be weighed at St. Paul's Church and we do find it to weigh
eighty two hundred, two quarters, and twenty-one pound.
JO OLIVER Mastr Mason of St. Paul's
EMERY ARGUIS
ROBERT CHURCHILL
Churchwardens
Which bell at Ten pence pound amounts unto the sum of three
hundred eighty-five pounds 17/6.
Ordered That the aforesaid sum be made up four hundred pounds
and that the Churchwardens pay the same in discharge of part
of the debts due upon bonds and orders of this Vestry to such
persons as shall be willing to receive the same.
Besides the £385 17s. 6d. received for the bell, the
materials of the tower produced £278 10s. 4d.
Every detail relating to the demolition of the tower and
the removal of the Bell to St. Paul's Cathedral is carefully
recorded in a foolscap book of 100 pages; but interesting
as some of the particulars might be, mention can only be
made here of the total receipts, £664 7s, 10d., the cost of
the demolition and removal, £233 7s. 1d., and the net sum
gained for the relief of the poor. £431 0s. 9d.
The produce of the sale having been expended, new
sources of relief for the parochial burthens were sought in
vain. The next transcript depicts the fiscal situation of the
Vestry:—
23rd November, 1709—It being Represented to this Vestry that the
number and necessities of the poor of this Parish are abundantly
Encreased & it being proposed that an Additional Rate be made
for the further and better Reliefe of the poor