1812 'Miss Byron' III. i. 68 The area bell rung, and in a few minutes a note was presented to our heroine.
1836 C. Dickens 1st Ser. I. 52 [I] rang the area-bell.
1916 Oct. 156/1 And then there came, not a ring at the area bell, but a knock, which managed to be somehow bold and at the same time furtive.