LIFT MINICRANES AT SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL

Southwark Cathedral is the oldest Cathedral Church building in London and archaeological evidence shows there was Roman pagan worship here well before that, dating back 606 AD. Significantly, Southwark stands at the oldest crossing point of the tidal Thames at what was the only entrance to the City of London across the river for many centuries. It is not only a place of worship but also of hospitality to every kind of person: princes and paupers, prelates and prostitutes, poets, playwrights, prisoners and patients have all found refuge here. The bells of Southwark Cathedral are rung regularly for the major services, and for other special occasions and practices by the Southwark Cathedral Society of Bellringers. Although there are records of bells in the Cathedral from the early 1400s, the present ring of 12 bells dates from 1735. They were one of the earliest complete sets of 12 bells to be commissioned. A thirteenth bell was added in 2005 to enable a lighter ring of eight bells to be rung.