The mystery of the missing Minster clock
When Lianne Brigham of the York Past And Present group came across a picture showing a clock on the outside of the Minster, she started some detective work…
Part 1: The mystery begins
A few days ago we posted a collection of York Minster shots on the York Past And Present Facebook page. It was whilst viewing these shots we came across a really interesting one of York Minster with a clock above the south entrance.
I walked around the south side of the Minster just to see if I could recognise where it would have been. I thought there must be some sort of evidence that it was once there.
On examination I realised I was wrong.
I decided the only way to find out is to pop into the Minster and ask (I mean if anyone should know it would be them, right?).
Part 2: Inside the Minster
After a bit of discussion and a look at our picture, everyone agreed it was the Minster and that the clock mystery needed further investigation (I always wanted to be in a Famous Five type mystery…).
The volunteer suggested we go to the South Entrance and compare the images to how the Minster is today. She looked at the photograph and then up at the wall and declared “that’s definitely the Minster”, adding: “Where on earth is that clock?”
“That’s what we are asking,” I replied. So now there are three people researching what happened to the clock…
Part 3: A discovery
Although it has been repainted, it is definitely the timepiece that once stood above the south entrance.
It turns out that the clock was removed from that position around 1871, and the frontage has also been altered. Comparing the 1870 image to the 1880 image of the South Entrance there are visible changes.
Mystery solved…
I’m grateful to York Mix for uncovering the close-up of the Hindley clock dial above the south door of the Minster. Hitherto I had come across only distant shots from the Song School and an 19th century engraving.
There is clearly some confusion amongst some of your correspondents. There are two ‘turret’ clocks at the Minster: the Hindley of 1750, the subject of this discussion, and the
‘great clock’ in the south-west tower. This latter has never had a dial, the hours being ‘clocked’ from as early as the thirteenth century. The fire in May 1840 put paid to everything in the tower (as well as the nave) including the peal of bells and the clock. John Moore of Clerkenwell installed the present great clock in 1842. Thomas and Barnard Cooke of York added quarters as early as 1846 and the Newey family subsequently had it in their care for three generations. Until the chimes were transferred onto new bells in the north west tower in 2000, the quarters were struck on the bells of the peal in the south west tower.
What I would really be very interested to see is any sort of photograph or engraving of the INside of the south transept showing just whereabouts Hindley’s clock movement and pendulum were before their removal to the north transept.
Andrew Carter
York Clock Group
I was aware there had been a clock over the South Door at an earlier time but I am surprised to learn it was moved and is now inside in a slightly revised form with a restored face.
The Minster has long had an ambition to link it’s bells to its clock and although they are a great distance apart, this has been the case since soon after 2000 when the Queen Mother’s Bells were cast and installed. I remember watching them craned in – the deepest quarter bell of the chime, like the Minster’s tenor of the ring of 12, weighs three tons.
These quarter bells ring varying amounts of the hymn tune ‘York’ on the quarter and full hours with Great Peter (11tons) striking the hours. The striking is very accurate since it is linked to an atomic clock signal I believe. Good to set your watch by!
At noon the vergers disconnect the striking mechanism and ring the Angelus by hand (Great Peter is the heaviest bourdon rung by hand in the British Isles) and I can report from having done it, it requires a little skill and some effort. After 3 minutes of pulling and more and more rope going up and down in a 40 foot high room, you are rewarded by the glorious sound of Peter speaking just on the other side of the oak floor above your head. A wonderful sound in E flat.
Really interesting, thanks Simon.
I think I missed the evidence that it’s the same clock. Can’t see any resemblance.
The clock in the North Transept (which was outside the south door) is the Hindley Clock. It is a four-quarter-chime ting-tang clock, made by Hindley in 1750. The face was moved in 1871, with the mechanism being moved 3 years later. It was re-erected in its present position in 1883. The face was decorated by Powell to a design by Bodley. In 1891 the three-minute chimes were added by Darling and Wood of York. The face and surround was redecorated in 1979, using the original design, by the Stoneyard staff. The clock has a two-second pendulum and is wound every two days. (info thanks to John Gough)
That is fascinating, thanks Erica!