Norwell
St Laurence

Clock

The clock is on the second stage of the west wall of the tower. The face has a diameter of 4ft (1.2m) and is blue with gilded roman numbers and hands.

The clock is a mechanical wound quarter chime seven day. It is a wrought iron complete frame clock with the weights within the frame.

The only non-original parts are the dowel pins. It chimes on the hour on the tenor bell and the quarter hour on the 4th and 5th bells.

The clock face The clock mechanism The clock weights

The clock has been dated as pre-1850; it was removed from Nottingham General Hospital in 1947/8 and was stored by Messrs G and T Copes of Nottingham. A view of the General Hospital in 1830 shows a clock that looks very like the Norwell clock. That part of the hospital was built in 1782 and it is likely that the clock dates from then.

It was bought for Norwell church by combined subscription of the Parishioners of Norwell and Mrs Hole of Caunton Manor. It was dedicated by Rt Rev F R Barry, bishop of Southwell on 11 May 1953. There is a plaque on the west wall of the nave recording the dedication. This reads as follows:

The Clock in this Tower, dedicated
by the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of
Southwell, Dr. F. R. Barry, on May 11th
1953, was erected by the combined
subscriptions of the parishioners
and a friend, Mrs Geraldine Hole
of Caunton Manor, who for 30 years
has worshipped in Norwell Church.

H. R. Heritage   Vicar
R. Marston   Churchwardens
A. E. Marston

The clock was installed by Copes; the building work was done by Messrs S Clipsham and Sons, of North Muskham; the woodwork by A E Marston of Norwell.

Engraving of the Hospital from
1787 showing a clock like
the Norwell clock		 Cover of the order of
service for the clock
dedication in 1953

With thanks to David Cope for providing information about the clock.