The New Vaudeville Band – Winchester Cathedral lyrics

I've heard this song criticized as silly for telling a church it didn't stop the singer's girlfriend from leaving town. Silly, sure; it is a novelty song. But I've come across something that makes a bit of sense out of that for me. This is a British song, and for a British listener the idea of a church stopping someone from leaving isn't a new idea.

Have you heard of "the sound of Bow bells"? The church of St. Mary-le-Bow is in the center of London, and to be born within the sound of the "Bow Bells" is said to make one a true Cockney. According to legend, young Dick Wittington was called back to medieval London by the sound of the bells of St. Mary-le-Bow as he was climbing Highgate Hill, trudging back home toward Gloucestershire in discouragement. Believing the bells were sending him a message, he turned back to the city to try again and eventually became a great success as a merchant and as four-time Lord Mayor of London. The adventures of Dick Whittington are partly legendary, but he was a real person of great importance and popularity.

So the idea of church bells calling someone back and stopping them from leaving would not be a novel thought for a Brit.

But Winchester Cathedral didn't even try; it just stood there. :)

(Winchester, and its cathedral, is about 60 miles sw of London. Gloucestershire is about 80 miles W of London.).