Salisbury Cathedral clock

Previously in a bell-tower which was demolished in 1790, the clock was restored to working condition in 1956 and is on display in the North nave aisle of the cathedral, close to the West front.

At that time it had a pendulum, which appeared to have been installed at a later date, replacing a verge and foliot.

There were no drawings or documents available, and it is possible that the original foliot and verge escapement did not look exactly like the one now installed in the clock.

Like many of these more practical devices, its main purpose was to strike a bell at precise times.

The framework is held together with metal wedged tenons, rather than with nuts and bolts (which had not been invented).

As found, the escapement was a pendulum which must have been a replacement, as it is too early for clocks of this age, which would have had verge and foliot.

At the end of the 17th century, the Salisbury clock, like many others, was modified from verge and foliot to pendulum and anchor operation.

The Dover Castle clock was initially dated in the 14th century, only to be later revised to around 1600.

In 1993, Christopher McKay organised a symposium with the Antiquarian Horological Society to determine if the clock could be dated to 1386.

Then, in 1956, the clock was restored towards its presumed original condition and started working again.

Today, the escapement operates, but the striking mechanism is normally prevented from running by a clamp, which may be removed for demonstration purposes.

This confirmed that the two arbors of the going train had been lengthened when the clock had been converted to pendulum operation.

Subsequent investigations revealed that the clock had actually been converted twice, as remains of an earlier pendulum escapement were discovered.

The clock is now displayed in the North nave aisle of the cathedral, close to the West front.

The count wheel only appears to have 11 notches, but the clock strikes 12 times each complete turn.