Old City in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

The First Bell

1702

— One of the first commissioned bells in Colonial America, 50 years older than the Liberty Bell —

The First Bell Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 25, 2026

1. The First Bell Marker

Inscription.

The First Bell. , Forged in the same fires as the Liberty Bell, but five decades earlier, the 1702 Bell still proclaims faith and community for Philadelphia and the nation., A New Bell for a New Church Christ Church, established in 1695, is the birthplace of the American Episcopal Church. Its first bell was commissioned in 1702 from an English foundry, which later cast the Liberty Bell in 1752., Emblem of Faith The bell and its counterparts in the church tower summoned worshippers, mourned the deceased, and celebrated the holy days with jubilant chimes., Symbol of Community The bells of Christ Church served the neighborhood by marking the hours, announcing market days, summoning the public for news and evetns, and sounding alarms in times of danger., Witness to History In 1776, the city's church bells rang out with the Liberty Bell to herald the Declaration of Independence. Hidden during the American Revolution to protect them, they later resounded to greet the newborn nation., The congregation and supporters of Christ Church, Philadelphia installed the 1702 Bell in this courtyard in 2024 to celebrate the Church and its history.,

Those Sabbath bells, those Sabbath bells, , I hear them wake the hour of prime, , Each sound as on the ear it swells, , Attunes the sould of praise sublime. , , Quoted in Benjamin Dorr, A Historical Account of Christ Church, Philadelphia, 1841

, The First Bell ,

■ Maker Whitechapel Bell Foundry, London, England (1507-2017) , ■ Note Tenor, treble F5 , ■ Weight 350 pounds , ■ Height 25.5 inches , ■ Diameter at opening 25.5 inches , ■ Material Bronze (allow of copper and tin, with lead and traces of other materials) , [Captions:] , left: View of Philadelphia looking west from the Delaware River, 1765, with Christ Church at center. The East Prospect ofthe city of Philadelphia, in the Province of Pennsylvania, engraving after George Heap and Nicholas Scull. Christ Church, Philadelphia, above left: View of Christ Church in 1811; until 1810, it was the tallest building in North America. Christ Church, by William Strickland (1788-1854). Oil on canvas. , Philadelphia History Museum at the At water Kent, Courtesy of Historical Society of Pennsylvania Collection, Bridgeman Images

Forged in the same fires as the Liberty Bell, but five decades earlier, the 1702 Bell still proclaims faith and community for Philadelphia and the nation.

A New Bell for a New Church Christ Church, established in 1695, is the birthplace of the American Episcopal Church. Its first bell was commissioned in 1702 from an English foundry, which later cast the Liberty Bell in 1752.

Emblem of Faith The bell and its counterparts in the church tower summoned worshippers, mourned the deceased, and celebrated the holy days with jubilant chimes.

Symbol of Community The bells of Christ Church served the neighborhood by marking the hours, announcing market days, summoning the public for news and evetns, and sounding alarms in times of danger.

Witness to History In 1776, the city's church bells rang out with the Liberty Bell to herald the Declaration of Independence. Hidden during the American Revolution to protect them, they later resounded to greet the newborn nation.

The congregation and supporters of Christ Church, Philadelphia installed the 1702 Bell in this courtyard in 2024 to celebrate the Church and its history.

Those
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Sabbath bells, those Sabbath bells,
I hear them wake the hour of prime,
Each sound as on the ear it swells,
Attunes the sould of praise sublime.
— Quoted in Benjamin Dorr, A Historical Account of Christ Church, Philadelphia, 1841

The First Bell

■ Maker Whitechapel Bell Foundry, London, England (1507-2017)
■ Note Tenor, treble F5
■ Weight 350 pounds
■ Height 25.5 inches
■ Diameter at opening 25.5 inches
■ Material Bronze (allow of copper and tin, with lead and traces of other materials)
[Captions:]
left: View of Philadelphia looking west from the Delaware River, 1765, with Christ Church at center. The East Prospect ofthe city of Philadelphia, in the Province of Pennsylvania, engraving after George Heap and Nicholas Scull. Christ Church, Philadelphia

above left: View of Christ Church in 1811; until 1810, it was the tallest building in North America. Christ Church, by William Strickland (1788-1854). Oil on canvas.
Philadelphia History Museum at the At water Kent, Courtesy of Historical Society of Pennsylvania Collection, Bridgeman Images

Topics and series. This historical marker
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 25, 2026

2. Christ Church Bell Display
is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Communications • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Historic Bells series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1702.

Location. 39° 57.04′ N, 75° 8.649′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in Old City. It is on Church Street west of North 2nd Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 221 Market St, Philadelphia PA 19106, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, New Netherland, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Christ Church Timeline (here, next to this marker); Christ Church Fence (here, next to this marker); The Original Eight Bells in this Church
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(a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Christ Church (a few steps from this marker); James Wilson (a few steps from this marker); Robert Morris (within shouting distance of this marker); Resting Place of Seven Signers of the Declaration of Independence (within shouting distance of this marker); Jacob Broom (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Christ Church (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Credits. This page was last revised on July 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 29, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 29, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.