Swan Bells Facts for Kids

The Bell Tower at night in Perth.

The Swan Bells are a collection of 18 large bells located in a special tower in Perth, Western Australia. This tower is 82.5 meters tall and is made of copper and glass. People often call it The Bell Tower or the Swan Bell Tower.

These bells are named after the Swan River, which the tower overlooks. They form a set of 16 bells that can be rung in a special way called "change ringing," plus two extra bells for different musical notes. This makes them the second-largest set of change ringing bells in the world!

Twelve of these bells are very old and came from a church called St Martin-in-the-Fields in London, England. The other six bells were made more recently by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. The old bells were given to Western Australia in 1988 to celebrate Australia's 200th birthday. The newer bells were made from metals mined in Western Australia and were given by different cities and mining companies.

History of the Old Bells
The Bell Tower's Design
Images for kids
See also

History of the Old Bells

The bells from St Martin-in-the-Fields have a long and interesting history. They are so old that they existed even before the 14th century! Queen Elizabeth I ordered them to be remade in the 1500s. Later, between 1725 and 1770, a famous family of bell makers called Rudhall recast them again.

These bells are very special because they are "royal bells," meaning they have a connection to the British royal family. They are also the only set of royal bells known to have ever left England. Imagine, these bells even rang when the famous explorer James Cook set sail on his journey that led him to Australia! In 1988, they were restored and then donated to Western Australia.

Bell Details
Bell number	Weight (kg)	Note	Made in
Treble	241	D#	1998
2	238	C#	1988
3	263	B#	1988
Flat 3	261	B	1988
4	254	A#	1988
5	279	G#	1758
6	263	F#	1770
7	284	E#	1758
8	300	D#	1725
9	370	C#	1725
10	390	B#	1725
Flat 10	453	B	1988
11	486	A#	1725
12	589	G#	1725
13	728	F#	1725
14	831	E#	1725
15	1,088	D#	1725
Tenor	1,480	C#	1726

The Bell Tower's Design

The Bell Tower was designed by local architects Hames Sharley. All 18 bells together weigh about 9 tonnes (that's 9,000 kilograms!). When they ring, they create a lot of force. To make sure the tower is strong enough, the six-story bell chamber is made from very strong reinforced concrete.

The tower has special soundproof walls and doors. These can make the sound quieter or direct it towards the city or the river. The top part of the tower is a glass spire that looks like spokes radiating from the center. The concrete bell chamber is covered in 30-meter-tall copper "sails" and glass.

The area around the tower, called Barrack Square, has been updated. It now includes reflective pools, cafes, restaurants, shops, and paths for walking and cycling.

There used to be a path around the tower made of ceramic tiles. Each tile had the names of students from schools across Western Australia. These tiles were moved in 2014 as part of the Elizabeth Quay project. They have since been reinstalled in a new artwork near the tower.

In 2018, a huge 6.5-tonne bell was made to remember 100 years since the end of World War One. This bell is called the Great ANZAC Bell. Unlike the other bells, it is swung electronically using a motor.

Since 2013, the area around Barrack Street Jetty has been redeveloped. This included making a boardwalk in front of the Bell Tower. This work is part of a bigger project that also includes the Elizabeth Quay development.