Sneinton St Christopher

Clock

St Christopher’s has a public clock located on the buttress of the south transept wall, and therefore in full view from the parallel road. It is a large double-faced clock, each of the faces being about 30" in diameter, set within a square case. The spandrels are decorated with a pair of stylised leaves set at right angles to each other with a squared floral boss joining the two and filling the corner. Currently, plastic sheeting protects both faces. The faces are coloured light blue, with gold Roman numerals and chapter ring. The clock hands are plain without decoration or piercing, they are also gold coloured

The case is about twelve inches thick, protected by a low-pitched roof. An end panel with applied tracery decoration completes the case.

The clock is supported by a very substantial wrought iron bracket, which has both curved, and diagonal cantilevers connecting it to the wall-plate and the gabled stonework of the buttress. A number of designs are incorporated into the ironwork including trefoils and quatrefoils, fleur-de-lys and gilded bosses as on the clock face.

It is thought that the clock was originally installed sometime during the late 1920s or early 1930s. Gents of Leicester manufactured the type of electrical drive mechanism known to drive the original clock about that time. It had wet-cell batteries to maintain timekeeping in the event of a power failure. Electricity was installed into the church in 1927/8. Gents of Leicester maintained the clock for many years. Mr Derek Lymn, who currently maintains the clock on behalf of the Nottingham City Council, suggests that the case was designed and made by former local clock specialist G and F Cope. (Mr Lymn was an apprentice at Copes.) He claims that many years ago the clock case carried Cope’s name. If so, it is no longer apparent.

There is no record of the clock being damaged or repairs being carried out after the 1941 bombing. No expenditure in this respect is itemised in the rebuilding and refurbishment invoices. Being outside the building it may have escaped without damage, although its power supply would have been destroyed by the internal fire putting it out of action for several years.

The clock was last renovated in 2003. This included the installation of a modern electrical drive mechanism, which moves the hands one minute at a time. It is now designated a public clock in the care of the Nottingham City Council.