Big Ben Birthday Bongs

By · July 11, 2009 at 12:18 pm · No comments · Latest News · Report an error ·

bigbenbongsburthday.jpg
By robonline via the Londonist Flickrpool

On this day in 1859 Big Ben the bell first bonged in time with the Great Clock inside St Stephen’s Tower. When you reach 150 you get to celebrate the entire year but surely for any London geek worth their salt, today is the day to go birthday bungee jumping off London’s most popular landmark. Even the relatively pint sized Little Ben at Victoria was heralding the momentous occasion by binging, on the hour, throughout yesterday.

After sunset this evening a birthday message will be projected onto St Stephen’s Tower, whose phallic wonder is best admired and toasted from outside St Stephen’s Tavern with a pint of London Pride.

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  • http://undefined cobo04

    Went up the tower in April, all very interesting but loads of steps !!

  • http://undefined snedds

    For shame, Londonist. So keen were you to avoid the trap of calling the tower in which Big Ben sits ‘Big Ben’, you managed to get the name even more wrong.

    Big Ben sits atop The Clock Tower. St Stephen’s Tower is the less spectacular one sat in the middle of the palace, above the old public entrance (handily known as St Stephen’s Entrance).

    • Dave

      Snedds, you have a point. Big Ben (the bell) is apparently housed within ‘The Great Clock of Westmister’. St. Stephen’s Tower is actually a smaller, but similarly-designed tower witihin the Palace of Westmister. But who knew?

      • http://undefined DeanN

        I knew.

        Bigger point though, tying yourself in knots to avoid calling the tower Big Ben is ridiculous, really — to all intents and purposes, the tower is popularly known as Big Ben, and we should just refer to it as that and save all the hassle.

        In a similar point, to aid our American brethren, I propose we re-name Tower Bridge as London Bridge. We can all the old London Bridge, I don’t know, Borough Bridge.

  • Lindsey

    Yeah, I knew too. So Snedds wins the ‘spot the deliberate mistake designed to draw out comments and our favourite London pedants’ prize! (honest).

    30 lashes to Lindsey.

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