Wells Cathedral clock: A Medieval Marvel with a Rich History

Wells Cathedral clock is an incredible timepiece that has stood the test of time. Built in the 14th century, it's one of the oldest working clocks in the world.

The clock's intricate mechanism is a marvel of medieval engineering, featuring a series of interlocking gears and a massive bell that strikes the hour. Its accuracy is impressive, given the limited technology available at the time.

Standing over 7 feet tall, the clock's imposing presence dominates the cathedral's north transept. Its sheer size and complexity are a testament to the skill of the craftsmen who built it.

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The Wells Cathedral clock has a rich history spanning over 600 years. It was first mentioned in the 14th century, with a payment made for the keeper of the clock in 1392-1393.

The clock's construction is closely tied to Bishop Ralph Erghum, who moved from Salisbury to Wells in 1388. He had previously installed a clock in Salisbury in 1386, and it's possible that he brought his clockmakers with him to Wells.

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The Wells clock shows some improvements and additions compared to the Salisbury clock, suggesting that valuable lessons were learned. The Wells striking system uses a double lever, which is more reliable than the system used in Salisbury.

The clock was converted to pendulum and anchor escapement in the 17th century. The original mechanism was installed in the Science Museum in London in 1884, where it's still wound by hand for visitors today.

The tradition of winding the clock by hand was upheld for centuries, with the Keeper of the Great Clock winding the clock three times a week. This process took over two hours and required cranking the 250kg weights 800 times with an iron key.

The Keeper of the Great Clock was a significant position, with the Fisher family holding the role for almost 100 years since 1919. Paul Fisher was the last Keeper to retire in 2010, marking the end of an era.

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The Wells Cathedral clock is a must-see attraction, and one of its most impressive features is its quarter-hour chime. The clock chimes every 15 minutes throughout the day.

You won't have to wait long to see the next chime, as they occur every quarter of an hour. It's a short but sweet show that's well worth waiting for.

The Quarter Jack, named Jack Blandifers, rings his bell from the very top of the cathedral when the clock hands strike the quarter-hour.

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Wells Cathedral clock is an impressive piece of history. It's the second oldest clock in England and the world's oldest surviving clock that still functions with a dial today.

The clock's astronomical face is truly one-of-a-kind. It's the oldest in the world, even beating the famous Prague Astronomical Clock that was built in 1410.

Unfortunately, we don't know for sure who built this incredible clock. Some people think it may have been the monk Peter Lightfoot from Glastonbury Abbey.

A notable figure associated with the clock is Jack Blandifers, also known as Quarter Jack. He's a 30-foot tall figure that sits above the clock and rings a bell with his hammer.

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The clock's exterior face was fabricated around 1475, and since then, it has undergone many phases of redecoration and repair.

Cleaning, consolidation, repair, replacement, and refinishing of each element of the clock has now been completed.

Specialist conservators were contracted at the end of 2022 to carry out crucial repair work to preserve as much as possible of the historic painted layers and fabric of the clock.

Large amounts of rare historic paint were discovered during the cleaning process and were consolidated and protected.

Irreparable stonework was successfully replaced with newly cut stone, including the creation of crenelated tops to the pedestals and the pendant hanging beneath the jack.

Wells Cathedral is a must-see destination, especially if you're interested in history and architecture. It's a 12th-century cathedral, after all!

The cathedral nave with its vaulted ceiling and arches is a sight to behold. You'll likely pass by it on your way to the clock.

Just behind the clock is the impressive curved stairway leading up to the Chapter House with its colourful stained glass windows. It's a beautiful sight!

The Scissor Arches that make a figure of eight is a unique and beautiful feature. The vaulted Lady’s/Stillington Chapel is also worth visiting.

The cathedral also has a library, a cafe, and gardens within The Cloisters to enjoy.

The medieval clock at Wells Cathedral is a stunning example of historic preservation. It was fabricated around 1475.

The clock has undergone many phases of redecoration and repair since its creation. Specialist conservators were contracted at the end of 2022 to carry out crucial repair work to preserve the historic painted layers and fabric of the clock.

A programme of work was carried out by Cliveden Conservation and other heritage specialists to repair and restore the clock. The scaffold has been removed, and the clock is now complete.

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The new decorative scheme is based on the original, replacing the mid-twentieth century interpretation. This was informed by samples taken during extensive paint analysis to establish the many historic decorative schemes.

Large amounts of rare historic paint were discovered during the cleaning process and have been consolidated and protected. Irreparable stonework has been replaced with newly cut stone.

The clock motion behind the dial was removed to be restored by Timsbury Clocks. The timber jacks were transported to Swan Farm Studio for repair and repainting.

The bells were cleaned of corrosion by Matthew Higby and Company. All the counterweights for the jacks have been de-rusted and stabilised.

New stainless-steel rods have been installed to operate the jacks. The bells have been turned by a quarter-turn to prevent excessive wear when struck by the poleaxes.

The freshly restored 15th century clockface is now set to tell the time for many years to come.

The Wells Cathedral Clock has an unknown creator, with limited records from the time period leaving the identity of the clockmaker a mystery to this day.

There are some brief records of payments made to the Keeper of the Great Clock, but unfortunately, the clockmaker is never mentioned in these records.

Recent research suggests that Lightfoot was hired by Bishop Erghum to build the clock in Wells itself, contradicting the theory that it was removed from Glastonbury Abbey.

The Wells Cathedral Clock is an astronomical clock, which means it's designed to show the movement of the stars and the sun.

It's a pretty cool feature that the central dial is a model of the universe, complete with a background of stars.

The clock's face is marked with Roman numerals from I to XII and then from I to XII again, which helps to indicate the time.

The sun moves in a circle around the clock's face, showing the passage of time.

The minutes are indicated by smaller stars on the clock's face.

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Unfortunately, the identity of the Wells Cathedral Clock's creator remains a mystery to this day. There are limited records from this time period, and the clockmaker is never mentioned in those records.

Some people believe the clock was removed from Glastonbury Abbey and re-installed in Wells Cathedral. However, recent research suggests that Lightfoot was hired by Bishop Erghum to build the clock in Wells itself.

The Keeper of the Great Clock does appear in brief records, but these records only mention payments made to this person, not the clockmaker.