The Paul Revere Bell

St. James’s has long been known as “the Church of the Paul Revere Bell.” This bell, the first of over 200 bells produced by the famous patriot, was purchased for our Church in 1901 during Dr. Abbott’s rectorship.

Originally this hitoric bell, probably cast in England, first hung in a Congregational Church in North Square, Boston. When that church burned down in 1676, the bell was saved and hung in the belfry when the church was rebuilt. In 1775 this church and a hundered other wooden buildings were ordered torn down by General Howe of the British Army for firewood. The homeless congregation was invited to worship in the New Brick Meeting House on the corner of Richmond and Hanover Streets and as there were no bellmakers in America at taht time, it was given to Paul Revere, a silversmith, for recasting in 1792. Originally the bell weighed five hundred pounds, but Mr. Revere added more metal and it now weighs nine hundred and twelve pounds. It was then returned to the belfry of the New Brick Meeting House where it stayed even when the Church was sold to the Methodists in 1849. In 1871 the City of Boston wanted to widen Hanover STreet and the church had to be torn down. The Methodists moved to a church on Temple Street, but there was no place for the bell and it was stored in a loft.

In 1901, the Rev. Edward Abbott of St. James’s Episcopal Church in Cambridge saw the following advertisement in a newspaper:

• Paul Revere Church Bell

• For Sale

• This bell was cast by Paul Rever in

• 1792 for First Church. Bell can be seen at 30 South St.

Dr. Abbott went to see the bell and became interested enough to obtain an option on it. He reported this to St James’s Church on the following Sunday which was Palm Sunday, and the necessary $400 was raised at once. On Easter Day the bell was at the church, having been transported here from Boston in a coal wagon. The date was April 19th, 1901

— From the Sunday Bulletin, April 19th, 1992