Christ Church’s bell cast in 1702 was vandalized on Mischief Night
The mounting for the Great Bell, cast in 1702, was damaged, possibly by large stones being thrown at it.
One of the oldest pieces of Philadelphia history was damaged on a distinctively Philly holiday.
Christ Church in Old City is working on a restoration plan for its Great Bell, after it was vandalized on Mischief Night, Oct. 30.
On Halloween morning, Christ Church staff noticed that the marble mounting below the bell had been cracked and chipped, and that the more than 300-year-old bell was scuffed. They found two large stones near the base of the bell, and presume that someone threw them at the bell from behind a nearby fence. Christ Church reported the incident to the National Park Service.
The bell was cast in 1702, by the same Whitechapel Foundry in London that made the Liberty Bell 50 years later. It predates Christ Church’s steeple, and was hung on a tree before the structure was built to house it.
“It’s one our earliest pieces of Philadelphia history that’s still around,” said Zack Biro, the executive director of the Christ Church Preservation Trust.
The church had just placed the bell outdoors for display earlier this year, hoping that more visitors could see it there rather than inside the church, where it had been housed for years. But Biro said he doesn’t anticipate moving the bell back indoors or erecting more protection around it.
“We don’t want to hide it away,” he said.
While Christ Church formulates a plan for restoring the mounting, it will focus on improving the nearby area to prevent similar incidents. Construction has left debris, like the stones that were likely thrown at the bell, and the church will work to get the area cleaned up, Biro said. It will also look into installing better lighting in the area.
Biro said he’s been encouraged by the supporters who have reached out to offer support, looking to donate to the mounting’s restoration.
“There really are a lot of people who understand the importance of the bell,” Biro said.
The church near Second and Market Streets was established in 1695 and the building was constructed in the early 18th century. It was once the tallest building in the United States, and its grounds are where Benjamin Franklin is buried.
Its 350-pound bronze bell has adorned a few other places since 1755, including the nearby St. Peter’s Church, the former Christ Church Hospital, and Kearsley Home. It returned to Christ Church in 2011.