St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill

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The church occupies a prominent position, close to Harrow School, at the top of the hill’s highest point giving long range views across London on a clear day.

Photos with a red border are virtual tours which work like Google Street View. All pictures taken on 29th April 2023.

The church seen through the trees. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

Climbing The Tower

The climb to the top starts with a narrow, and low, spiral staircase to reach the level inside the tower where the bells are rung from.

Two steep ladders then go into the belfry and then up to the inside of the spire.

The ladder up to the belfry. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

The first ladder from the bell ringing level up into the belfry.

The church bells in the belfry. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

The belfry. The top of the access ladder can be seen to the bottom left of the leftmost bell.

The ladder from the belfry into the church spire. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

The top of the access ladder coming up from the belfry to the inside of the spire.

Bell Ringing Level

The spiral staircase links the ground floor up to the bell ringing level.

When not in use, the bell ropes are tied up safely out of use.

Disappearing up into the ceiling, the ropes thread their way up to the bells.

The bell ropes. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.
The bell ropes. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.
The bell ropes tied up on the ceiling. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

The Church Roof

A low access door leads from the bell ringing position on to the roof.

The whole roof can be walked upon, right up to the edge which is protected by a low, battlement wall.

From the roof level, the views over London are partially obscured by high trees.

The access door from the tower to the roof. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.
The roof. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.
The roof. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.
The roof and tower. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

The Belfry

The ropes from the bell ringing level thread up through the floor and on to the wheels which move the bells to make them ring.

During the visit, all but one of the bells where in the upright position ready to ring for Sunday service.

The only bell hanging down enabled visitors to have a go tolling the bell safely without danger of them getting caught up in a rogue rope.

The church bells in the belfry. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

Ten bells hang in the belfry. The bell frame was replaced in the 1960s with the current steel version.

The church bells in the belfry. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.
The church bells in the belfry. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.
The church bells in the belfry. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.
The church bells in the belfry. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.
The church bells in the belfry. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.
The church bells in the belfry. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.
The church bells in the belfry. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.
The church bells in the belfry. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.
The church bells in the belfry. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

The largest of the bells showing 1683, the year of its manufacture. The newest bells date from 1978 which were cast to mark the 1977 Silver Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Some of the bells were cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.

The Spire

Inside
Outside
The church spire. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

Looking up the spire from the SE corner of the tower.

The inside of the church spire. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

Looking straight up, inside the centre of the spire. The platform access ladder to the left.

The inside of the church spire. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

The ladder reaching up to the platform towards the top of the spire.

The View From The Tower

The view seen from the tower. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

RAF Northolt

The view of Wembley Stadium seen from the tower. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

Wembley Stadium

The view of the City of London and Canary Wharf seen from the tower. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

The City of London and Canary Wharf

Views around the tower

The view seen from the tower. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

North West

Views North are
obscured by high trees.

The view seen from the tower. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

North East

The view seen from the tower. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

West

From its high vantage point, there are views across London.

The view seen from the tower. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

East

The view seen from the tower. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

South West

The view seen from the tower. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

South

The view seen from the tower. St Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, London. 29-Apr-2023.

South East

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