![]() Throughout the years the church clock has always needed a dedicated person to climb the stairs of the tower, once a week and in some cases every day to wind the heavy weights which keep these wonderful mechanisms working. His invention was first used on the Westminster clock, better known as Big Ben, and since then a large number of church clocks have been fitted with this escapement. Hour striking, wrought iron turret clock by Thomas Steight 1699.īecause of the growing importance of accurate timekeeping, mainly due to the development of the railways, clockmakers throughout the country strived to keep their clocks accurate whilst combating the problems associated with large dials and hands exposed to the elements.ĭifferent escapements were used such as the recoil and dead-beat, but it wasn’t until Lord Grimthorpe developed his double three legged, gravity escapement in 1859 that large clocks could keep time to within a few seconds a month. These clocks were the cutting edge of technology at their time and could, and still can, if properly repaired and maintained, keep time to within a few seconds a week. The early examples were manufactured from wrought iron and were often referred to as being blacksmith made, which without doubt they were, but we must not for one moment think that there was anything agricultural about them. These early turret clocks kept time using a verge and foliot escapement, a mechanism for regulating the rate at which the clock runs, but it wasn’t until advent of the pendulum in 1656 that timekeeping became more reliable. ![]() This wonderful mechanism is on display within the nave of the Cathedral, ticking away making it not only the oldest clock in Europe, but the oldest working clock in the World. These clocks have provided this service, in church towers throughout the country, for hundreds of years, and in the case of the Ancient Clock of Salisbury Cathedral since 1386. ![]() However, those who care for a turret clock will know well how highly regarded by the local community, not only for it’s graceful appointment of the building but also for it’s it’s link to the community’s past and its timekeeping. Every modern appliance seems to have its own built in clock and the amazing accuracy of quartz watches and their low price really means that the turret clock is no longer indispensable as an essential public timekeeper. Today accurate time is readily available to us all. Wires pull heavy hammers to strike and chime bells in the belfry above, and still, in many cases, massive weights need to be wound weekly or daily to ensure everything operates as it should. Long, complex connections beyond the movement drive hands exposed to wind, rain and snow. They reach out over the entire community, having once provided a time standard to which all watches and house clocks could be set and appointments met. English Church Clocks, referred to as either tower or turret clocks are not simply over sized house clocks.
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