Restoration of Church Clocks
Church clocks, once a centerpiece of village life in the United Kingdom, have been restored to working order in several locations. At Winchester Cathedral, the clock was previously only visible from the south side of the tower, a decision thought to avoid reminding workers of the time.
“Stands the church clock at ten to three And is there honey still for tea?”
Rupert Brooke wrote these words in 1912, recalling his home in Grantchester, Cambridge. The restoration of three ancient clocks in Montacute, Somerset, and Winchester, Hampshire, has uncovered some unexpected discoveries.
- The clock on the tower of St. Catherine’s Church in Montacute was believed to have been constructed in the seventeenth century.
- However, restoration projects revealed that it was actually much older.
Author's summary: Restoration of UK church clocks reveals unexpected history.