Turret clock
Category
Horology
Date
Unknown
Materials
unspecified
Collection
Beningbrough Hall, North Yorkshire
NT 1191713
Summary
A tower clock mechanism comprising of a wrought iron cage movement with recoil escapement and two seconds wooden pendulum off-set to the right hand side. Weights are hung on hemp ropes which pass over hand-made wood pulleys. The mechanism drives four flat copper blue and gilt dials with single hour hands. The movement has wrought iron wheels, except for the escape wheel which is a later brass replacement, as is the setting dial. An 18 inch hour bell hangs in the bell cupola. The wooden case for the pendulum Includes a date, October 27th 1845' and the name 'George Wheatley' (a local carpenter).
Full description
The clock tower on the eastern side of the northern forecourt of Beningbrough is at least contemporary with the house (c.1716) and possibly slightly pre-dates it. The earliest image of the house, a sketch by Samuel Buck from the 1720s, shows a clock in the tower as does a later 1751 painting (see NT1191214). While the clock mechanism has been updated, including the moving of the pendulum (possibly work undertaken by Charles Brown of Selby c.1830s-'40s), the basic structure appears to be early 18th century.