Another of Wren’s great churches, St Mary-le-Bow was built in 1673. It’s famous as the church with the bells that dictate who is – and who isn’t – a cockney; it’s said that a true cockney has to have been born within earshot of Bow Bells, although before the advent of motor traffic this would have been a far greater area than it is today. The church’s delicate steeple is one of Wren’s finest works and the modern stained glass is striking.