Bells — Civic-time

Blackburn Cathedral clock

May 10, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Blackburn Cathedral, is officially known as the Cathedral Church of Blackburn Saint Mary the Virgin.

Blackburn Cathedral clock

It is situated in the heart of Blackburn town centre in Lancashire.

The Cathedral has a ring of ten bells, cast by Messrs John Taylor of Loughbrough in 1949 and considered by many ringers to be amongst the top dozen or so from a total of two hundred and fifty similar rings.

Fifty steps lead from the ground floor to the belfry.

Little is available online about the clock. Can you help with something about the history? Let us know via the comments area below.

More information

Blackburn Cathedral

About the bells of Blackburn Cathedral

Filed Under: Building clocks Tagged With: Belfry, Bells, Caption, Cathedral Church, Heart, John Taylor, Lancashire, Loughbrough, Messrs, Online Clock, Online Help, Ringers, Virgin

Lancaster City Town Hall, Lancashire

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April 14, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Based in Dalton Square, Lancaster Town Hall was officially opened on the 27th December 1909, by Lord Ashton.

Lancaster City Town Hall, Lancashire

Waring and Gillows were the main contractors for the stone work, furniture and wood carvings. The stone carving over the front steps was undertaken by F.W. Pomfrey and the stain glass windows were made by local firm Shrigley and Hunt.

The Town Hall is a Grade II* listed building and was opened in 1909.

The clock is by Gillet & Johnson of Croydon and dated 1909.
It was converted to electricity in 1976 but was originally wound manually –every 48 hours.
The clock chimes the Westminster quarters on the four quarter bells.
The clock has a night cut out for the chimes but still strikes on the hour through the night.
The hour bell weighs nearly three tons.
The clock faces are 10 foot in diameter and minute hands are approximately 5 foot long.

The clock mechanism was fully restored in January 2000.

More details about Lancaster Town Hall

Filed Under: Building clocks Tagged With: Bells, Caption, Clock Mechanism, Croydon, Dalton, Diameter, Electricity, Front Steps, Grade Ii Listed Building, Hour Bell, Lancashire, Lancaster City, Lancaster Town Hall, Local Firm, Lord Ashton, Minute Hands, Quarters, Stain Glass Windows, Waring And Gillows, Wood Carvings, Work Furniture

St John’s Bassenthwaite

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April 11, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

The clock on St. John’s Church Bassenthwaite features a blue face and brass coloured numbers.

Within the narrow bell tower it appears as if the bells are sideways and not hung like in a wider bell tower.

: St John’s Bassenthwaite clock

: St John’s Bassenthwaite bell tower

Filed Under: Building clocks Tagged With: Bell Tower, Bells, Blue Face, Clock, Narrow Bell, St John, Tower Gallery

St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney

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February 24, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Looking over the main entrance to St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall is this clock, often missed by visitors.

St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney

The mechanism of the clock is in the tower in a place called - Cowper’s Ha. It is the room below where the bells are hung.

It is the duty of the Cathedral Stone Mason to wind the clock every working day.

Here is an image of John Windwick winding the cathedral clock in September 1985 from the Orkney Image Library.

The clock can be up to ten seconds fast each day.

The original clock was built by Hugh Gordon, an Aberdeen Clockmaker, in 1761. It is now on display in Tankerness House Museum.

More details about Orkney can be found on Spirit-of-orkney.com

Filed Under: Building clocks Tagged With: Aberdeen, Bells, Cathedral Stone, Clock, Clockmaker, Image Library, Kirkwall, Main Entrance, Orkney, Spirit, St Magnus Cathedral, Stone Mason, Ten Seconds

St Andrew’s Church, Penrith, Cumbria.

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February 21, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

At the heart of Penrith, Cumbria is St Andrew’s Church.

St Andrew’s Church, Penrith, Cumbria.

The clock tower features gold numerals and hands on a dark background.

It is thought that the tower dates back to the 1300′s

William Porthouse was in charge of looking after the clock for 25 years from 1740 to 1765. In 1763 he supervised the hanging of new bells.

Filed Under: Building clocks Tagged With: Bells, Caption, Clock Tower, Dark Background, Gold, Heart, Penrith Cumbria, Porthouse, St Andrew, Tower Features

All Saints Church, Cockermouth

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February 14, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Situated at the base of a spire almost 200ft tall are the clock faces of All Saints Church in Cockermouth, Cumbria.

All Saints Church, Cockermouth

The clock has recently undergone restoration and repair.

William Wordsworth was baptised in this church.

Some local commentators refer to this church as Cockermouths’ Cathedral.

It is reported that

In the tower is a peal of eight sweet-toned bells, purchased at a cost of £600; and a clock and chimes by J. Blaylock, of Carlisle, which cost £240.

The carillon plays every three hours some favourite and well-known airs.

It is not known if the bells currently chime.

A refurbishment appeal is ongoing for the church and buildings. Further information can be found here.

Thank you

Thanks to John Blaylock for information supplied about the clock.

Filed Under: Building clocks Tagged With: Airs, All Saints Church, Bells, Blacklock, Blaylock, Carillon, Carlisle, Chimes, Church Buildings, Clock Faces, Cockermouth, Commentators, cumbria, John Blaylock, Peal, Refurbishment, Spire, William Wordsworth

Blackburn Cathedral clock

More information

Lancaster City Town Hall, Lancashire

St John’s Bassenthwaite

St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney

St Andrew’s Church, Penrith, Cumbria.

All Saints Church, Cockermouth

Wigton Medical Centre – clock

Lowther Castle clock restoration

Blackburn Cathedral clock

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