CHURCH CLOCK
of
ST ANDREW'S, BROUGHTON
by
David Roberts,
Gate Lane.

Memorial Window

The villagers of Broughton have been attending church on the same spot for over a thousand years. Nicholas Pevsner, the architectural historian, describes St. Andrew's as being "informally placed, mostly early fourteenth century except for pad of a former Norman aisleless church". For all that time there has been some need for the working and religious day to be regulated even if only rather crudely.

Early attempts at telling the time used sundials, water-clocks, sand-glasses and candles and it wasn't until the middle of the 13th century that the inventiveness of man produced the first mechanical clock and coined the word "clockwork" Incidentally, the word "clock" is derived from "cloche" meaning bell. The first church clocks had no outside hands or dial and time was "told" ("tolled") to the community by a verger ringing the church bell on the hour.

The clocks, powered by descending weights, needed to be rewound daily. They were regulated, or kept to time, by the "escapement" on the top of the clock controlling the fall of the weight.

It was not very accurate but there being none of the rush and bustle of today there was no call for accuracy. Cows did not demand to be milked promptly at 6pm, after all. A big stride forward was the introduction of the pendulum in 1656.

A clock and strike mechanism was introduced into St. Andrew's tower some years before this technology reached the Midlands, possibly by about 1650 (photo). It was converted to pendulum and a more accurate escapement many years later. Only then was it worth while to pierce the tower to fix a dial and an hour hand. Later, with improved accuracy in the 19th century came the minute hand.

There may still be Churchwardens' accounts giving the exact date. That still left the verger or clockman to climb the 50 foot ladder to the lower to rewind both weights. During the 20th Century his efforts were replaced when the village blacksmith, Mr. James, electrified the winding mechanism by introducing switches to trigger rewind motors at full fall of the weights. When the winding system was installed it seems that the whole clock mechanism was lowered to make room for it. The necessary connection between clock and hands was remade using bicycle sprockets and a chain. Blacksmiths dealt in wrought iron and it was natural that they either built or maintained the clocks over the generations using available materials. The James family have served Broughton well.

Perhaps never more than in 1965 were their services needed.  It was then that the church and clock were struck by lightning. The mechanism was thrown across the tower with such force that the tower needed to be restrengthened. The damage to the clock itself can only be imagined. Nevertheless the James repairs lasted almost until the turn of the last century. Then, in May 2001 Geoff Armitage, a professional church clock expert from Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, was called in and completely refurbished it. His work will allow St, Andrew's to once more keep Broughton "on time" for very many years into the future. Well, almost! The mechanism, being basically nearly 400 years old, is by no means as accurate as the digital on your wrist.

It is affected very much by the climate. If its too cold then the pendulum shortens and the clock may run "fast" and the opposite in summer. On the other hand, the many wrought iron gears and bearings all have to be well lubricated and oils thicken in cold weather, which to some extent counteracts the shortening of the pendulum. Even snow and frost on the hands have their effect. So, unfortunately it will never be 100% accurate but the author, having replaced the ancient clockman, promises to do his best in that direction for the foreseeable future. Keep an eye on it!