About The Oldest Bell In America
Made 50 years before the Liberty Bell
A bell is a hollow, cup-shaped object that produces sound when struck. Typically made of metal (often bronze or brass), with a flared, inverted cup shape. Most bells have a clapper inside that strikes the walls to create sound, though some are struck externally.
The oldest bell in America is the Great Bell at Christ Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Christ Church describes it as America's first bell. Christ Church Preservation Trust defines it as the first bell. Hidden City Philadelphia of Culture Trust recognizes it as the oldest surviving bell in North America.
The Great Bell at Christ Church is a remarkable piece of American colonial history with deep significance to the founding of the nation. It was cast in 1702 at the Whitechapel Foundry in London - the same foundry that would later cast the more famous Liberty Bell fifty years later in 1752. Perhaps the oldest surviving bell in North America , the Great Bell predates even Christ Church's famous steeple and many other colonial landmarks
The bell weighs 350 pounds and stands 25 inches tall, made of bronze. Unlike its more famous cousin the Liberty Bell, this bell remains uncracked and functional. Metallurgical experts have concluded that, unlike the Liberty Bell, Christ Church's 1702 bell can be safely rung.
The bell has an extraordinary history tied to Christ Church, which was founded in 1695 as the first parish of the Church of England in Pennsylvania. The bell hung first from a tree, then in a belfry of the wooden building that preceded the current stone church.
When the current church building was completed and the famous steeple was added in 1754-1755, the Great Bell was replaced by a new chime of eight bells that were also cast at Whitechapel.
From 1702-1754 it rang at Christ Church (first from a tree, then in the wooden church building). In 1754 it was replaced when the new stone church and steeple were completed with the new set of eight bells.
From 1754-2011 the bell spent 257 years away from home, first at St. Peter's of Philadelphia, then largely forgotten at Kearsley Home, the former Christ Church Hospita). The hospital operated for nearly two centuries under the Christ Church Hospital name. Christ Church Hospital was established in 1772 by Dr. John Kearsley.
Finally, in 2011 the historic bell was returned to Christ Church after more than two and a half centuries. The Great Bell now sits on the same site where it was originally tolled for the first time in 1702.
The bell faced preservation challenges due to its age and historical value. According to metallurgical experts, the 350 pound bronze tenor bell ought not be touched, but can be safely rung. In 2014, the Great Bell received a new interpretive display designed by Moto Designshop of Old City.
The Great Bell is more of a preserved historical artifact now - incredibly valuable and still functional, but used sparingly to protect its 320+ year old integrity. It's displayed with interpretive materials so visitors c
The Great Bell represents a tangible link to colonial America and the founding of the nation, predating many other famous American historical artifacts while maintaining its original function and integrity. Its connection to both religious history and the American Revolution makes it one of the most significant bells in American history.
*Note: Two other bells are sometimes cited as America's oldest. The Spanish Bell at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine dates to 1682, making it older, but it no longer functions and has been preserved as a museum piece for decades rather than remaining in active use. The Old North Church bells in Boston represent the oldest complete set of functioning bells in North America from 1744. Nevertheless, the Great Bell at Christ Church in Philadelphia, established in 1702, holds the distinction of being the oldest operational bell of any type in America.