What is Big Ben?

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livinfortheweekend2

Big Ben is the name of bell which is inside the famous clock tower in London.

shellovescharlie

the bell in st stephens tower

ToP aNsWeReR ('_')!!!!

The main bell, officially known as the Great Bell, is the largest bell in the tower and part of the Great Clock of Westminster. The bell is better known by the nickname Big Ben, which is almost universally mistakenly applied to the Clock Tower.

dels replies

A bell .

Vivi

A bell, inside the clock tower at Westminster.

Big Bad Boris Mayor of London

Popular misconception is that it's the tower/clock but is in fact the Main bell

Mimkat

A bell.

cliveyboyuk

Big Ben is the bell housed within the tower.

The clock itself has wrongly become known as Big Ben.

Seng Kim T

Big Ben is the bell in the Westminster Tower Clock in London - very famous and well-known.

Croxx

I think it's the bell in the clock tower...

Big Ben

Bell.
It's NOT about me.

rachel

a bell.....

as everyone said here!

You are here: X

Big Ben is the main bell housed within the Clock Tower of the houses of parliament.

Hector S

Well detailed answers given (one from a text book)
Don't forget it taked it name from Benjamin Hall who was the Clerk of the works when the Bell was struck! (Ok it ws meant to be a pun - but true)
Any problems with the joke, then give us a ring

hey jude

Big Ben is the famous clock tower of the Houses of Parliament or to be more particular the 14 ton bell in the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament.

Enquire L

Big Ben is the name of the hour bell. It measures 8ft (2.7 metres) in diameter, is 7ft (2.2 metres) high and weighs 13.5 tonnes.

Enquire Librarian

Got a Question? Ask a Librarian at www.peoplesnetwork.gov.uk

fiona

A bell that chimes in the clock tower at the eastern end of the Palace of Westminster.

Quizard

The Great bell of the Westminster clock tower

At 9'-0" diameter, 7'-6" high, and weighing in at 13 tons 10 cwts 3 qtrs 15lbs (13,760 Kg), the hour bell of the Great Clock of Westminster - known worldwide as 'Big Ben' - is the most famous bell ever cast at Whitechapel. This picture, painted by William T. Kimber, the head moulder responsible for casting the bell, shows George Mears with his wife and daughter inspecting the casting prior to despatch. Big Ben was cast on Saturday 10th April 1858, but its story begins more than two decades earlier....
On 16th October 1834, fire succeeded where Guy Fawkes and his fellow plotters had failed on 5th November 1605, and destroyed the Palace of Westminster, long the seat of the British government. Those few bits of the Old Palace that survived the fire - most notably Westminster Hall, which was built between 1097 and 1099 by William Rufus - were incorporated into the new buildings we know today, along with many new features.

In 1844, Parliament decided that the new buildings for the Houses of Parliament, by then under construction, should incorporate a tower and clock. The commission for this work was awarded to the architect Charles Barry, who initially invited just one clockmaker to produce a design and quotation. The rest of the trade objected to this, demanding the job be put out to competitive tender. The Astronomer Royal, George Airy was appointed to draft a specification for the clock. One of his requirements was that:

"the first stroke of the hour bell should register the time, correct to within one second per day, and furthermore that it should telegraph its performance twice a day to Greenwich Observatory, where a record would be kept."

jessicagayner

Well the whole thing is commonly known as big ben but infact it is only the bell!

Al S

Big Ben is the bell inside the clock tower

CLIVE H

Big Ben is the huge bell which strikes the hour[s] in the clock set into the Palace of Westminster tower more commonly called "Big Ben".

Big Ben, the hour bell, was made at the world famous Bell Foundery at Whitechapel here in London. They've been making bronze bells there since the Middle Ages; so the story goes.

There is a "Little Ben" clock tower at Victoria Railway Station.

The links below will take you to Big Ben here in London : -

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament Webcam, LondonStunning live cam view of London's most famous landmarks, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
http://www.camvista.com/england/london/bigben.php3

THE STORY OF BIG BENPAINTING OF BIG BEN by Kimber At 9'-0" diameter, 7'-6" high, and weighing in at 13 tons 10 cwts 3 qtrs 15lbs (13760 Kg), the hour bell of the Great Clock of ...
http://www.whitechapelbellfoundry.co.uk/bigben.htm

When you hear the sound of Big Ben striking the hour, you are listening to the same sound heard by generations who have gone before us.

Dee

My friend Bens name for his manhood.

funnycunny

A welsh porn star !!!