Bell Tower

The Hingham Memorial Bell Tower rises above the historic center of Hingham. Built in 1912, the tower was created to commemorate the 275th anniversary of the founding of Hingham and to honor the generations of townspeople who shaped the community over centuries.  

The tower houses a remarkable set of bells that were intended as living parts of the community. The bells were cast in England by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London, the same foundry associated with Big Ben and historically connected to the Liberty Bell. The bells were modeled after and cast as copies of the bells from Hingham, England, the town from which many of Hingham’s original settlers emigrated in the 1600s.  

Unlike traditional church bells that simply chime melodies, these bells were designed for English-style change ringing. This is an old tradition where multiple bells are run in constantly changing mathematical patterns and sequences. Each bell is controlled individually by ringers pulling ropes below, requiring coordination and teamwork.  

The bells became part of the life of Hingham itself. They were rung for town anniversaries, patriotic celebrations, memorial services, holidays, and important civic occasions. Their sound marked moments of celebration and remembrance, connecting generations of residents through shared community traditions.

During the early 1900s, many New England communities were beginning to look backward with nostalgia toward their colonial roofs as the country rapidly industrialized and modernized. Hingham chose to preserve its identity not through a grand statue but through a structure that reflected a connection to its earliest history.