Coningsby - The Church Clock
The
one handed clock in the tower of Saint Michael's Church Coningsby
village is the largest of its kind in the world. On a clear day
the time can be read two miles away, or so I am told.
It was built in the 17th Century, when single handed clocks were quite
common. Very few survived.
The clock face is 16.5ft in diameter and its hand is nearly 9ft
long. The pendulum is 13 ft long with a swing every 2 seconds.
The clock weights are large blocks of stone. The frame is good
old English oak. The whole mechanism is described as beautifully
made and similar to a clock in Exeter Cathedral.
Records of the winding of the clock go back to 1780.
About 1800 the Church Authorities paid £2 per year to wind the
clock.
The striking, which takes place on the hour, was suspended for
the
duration of the last war, and the clock winder, at that time was made
redundant.
Today Mr. Peter Bass
winds the clock every day including Christmas Day. He climbs the
35
steps to the winding mechanism. In the twenty years he has been
the official clock winder, together with the previous 20 years his
father carried out the work they have climbed the steps over half a
million times.
Until recently Mr. Jim Sandel has stood in for Peter
whilst he takes a holiday, unfortunately following a heart attack Jim
has been advised not to continue with this hobby and Mr. Bill
Stennett has volunteered to wind the clock so thankfully it
will continue to tick away the minutes!.
The servicing and repairs to the clock are undertaken by Edmund
Czajkowski & Son Ltd of Woodhall Spa. All upkeep of the clock
and wages for the clock winding are met by Coningsby Town Council
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