Town Clock

The first reference to the clock at St Lawrence is in 1647 when it was agreed that the clerk John Dale should receive 7s 6d a year to "set and keep the village clock".

This first clock only had a dial on the south side, it was a skeleton dial and was set lower than the current dial.

The current clock was installed in 1870 by Smiths of Derby. It was one of their first tower clocks installed with Westminster chimes. Each of the tower walls had a large hole created for the clock dials so that glazed dials could be fitted and the clock lit by gas lights.

The clock was not immediately lit, it was not until 1885 that the clock faces finally glowed.

Whilst the main clock is still weight driven the drums that control the Westminster chimes and hour chime were converted over being electricity in 1954.

In 2001 the clock had to be stopped due to a tooth beginning to fracture on the escape wheel, this was quickly repaired in September by Smiths and the clock restarted.

Due to problems on the South side the South face is currently disconnected in order for the clock to remain running on the other three dials.

The cabinet that houses the clock has a number of notes written inside that have been made by clock winders over the years for posterity, below are a few examples :