Gothic Iron Clock: M.18-1940

Titles

Gothic Iron Clock

Maker(s)

Clockmaker: Anonymous

Entities

• Clock

Categories

• Clocks

Description

Gothic iron clock with weight driven movement.

Dial: Ogee arched top dial plate with cut out centre show¬ing hour wheel surrounded by a white painted chapter ring (now discoloured) with roman numerals I - XII and dots for half hours in black. Below this is a quarter hour dial consisting of a white painted ring with black roman numerals I - IIII. There is a similar quarter hour dial painted on a circular plate on the left hand side of the clock. Both quarter hour dials are later, probably seventeenth century. All the hands are of iron, nicely shaped and probably date from this time.

Movement: Weight driven movement, of 15 hour duration and striking the hours. The whole clock made of iron and with both trains at right angles to the dial. Various spare holes in top and bottom bars of frame and pieces cut out of latter, all indicative of considerable modification over the years. The going train controlled by a replaced verge escape¬ment and foliot balance with moveable weights for adjusting the timekeeping. The striking train has an external count wheel with attached gear wheel, a warning action, and a horizontal hammer arbor. The warning wheel (brass) and, probably, some of the pinions have been replaced. The frame with typical Gothic decoration and, as is normal with these clocks, there is no provision for enclosing the movement. There has been considerable repainting of the clock over the centuries, some of it with gold paint.

Legal notes

Given by Miss E. Rothwell in memory of the late W.E. Miller, FSA

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1940) by Rothwell, E., Miss

Dating

16th Century, Early
Renaissance
Circa 1500 - 1525