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You are here: Home > Tourism > The golden age of English clockmaking
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The golden age of English clockmaking
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The first recognisable English clock - the lantern clock - evolved around the beginning of the seventeenth century. This quickly developed into an all-brass cased clock with a weight-driven striking movement surmounted by a bell. The dial had only an hour-hand. English makers were quick to adopt and improve the new pendulum technology, developed in the Netherlands in the 1650s. The longcase clock evolved naturally in the latter part of the seventeenth century as a practical method of protecting the new, long pendulums. The earliest cases were small and narrow, but by the beginning of the eighteenth century they had increased dramatically in height. Case styles evolved rapidly from the severe, ebonised style of Knibb to elaborate marquetry cases (e.g the Windmills, Lyons and Johnson clocks in the Heritage Services collection). However the eighteenth century saw a return to more subdued cases veneered in walnut and mahogany. By the nineteenth century more widespread demand led to a reduction in height, and the use of cheaper woods such as oak. Spring-driven table clocks probably evolved from the desire to make clocks portable within a large house, thus reducing the enormous cost of purchasing several individual longcase clocks. English 'bracket' clocks, as they are known, almost always have carrying-handles for this purpose. The magnificent ebonised, quarter-repeating example by Thomas Tompion has a strike/silent facility so that the bell can be silenced when required. Click on the images below to see a larger version
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Lantern Clock by Benjamin Stribling
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Lantern Clock with Recoil Escapement and Seconds Pendulum, made by Benjamin Stribling, Stowmarket c.1700. Benjamin Stribling of Stowmarket was born c.1663 and died 1720. The first mention of Stribling occurs in Stowmarket’s Parish Records - a marriage licence dated 16 July 1693. “Benjamin Stribling, single man, 30 years, clock-maker of Stowmarket, and Elizabeth Lucas, single woman of same, 20 years”. He died in 1720 and was buried on 17 April that year. This clock was a recoil escapement and, judging from the crude way it is constructed, it could be one of the first attempts by this maker to construct one. Like all lantern clocks of this period, it is weight driven, with count wheel strike and hangs on the wall like a lantern. When first made the brass on this clock would have been cleaner and brighter but would quickly have dulled down to its present chocolate colour. Dials were not silvered except perhaps those made in London. The centre of the dial is engraved as is the front fret above the dial. The two side frets are not engraved. The lantern clock is one of the oldest forms of domestic clock. It developed into this classic form - brass cased, single hand, fret work and bell surmounting the movement - in James I reign (1603-1625). It has remained virtually unchanged in succeeding centuries and is still being made today.
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Table Clock by Thomas Tompion
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An eight day double pull repeating table clock in ebonised case. By Thomas Tompion, London. c 1700. Thomas Tompion, 1639-1713. One of the greatest horologists of all time, Tompion is known as the ‘Father of English Watchmaking’. He was the son of a Bedfordshire blacksmith and was admitted into the Clockmaker Company in 1671. Tompion's work contributed to raising the standards and innovativeness of English Horology to new heights. He later took George Graham into partnership. Tompion is buried in Westminster Abbey. The fusee spring driven movement of this clock has a verge escapement. The quarter repeat on two bells is activated by one of Tompion’s double pull systems. The strike/silent lever is visible on the dial above the XII. The ebonised case with wooden basket top has an oak carcass. The sides and top stilting of the front door are fitted with a scroll design fret. The dial has a matt background with silvered chapter ring. The backplate of the movement is profusely engraved with a ‘wheatsheaf’ cartouche surrounding the signature ‘Tho Tompion, Londini Fecit’. The English spring table clock was designed to be portable - hence the carrying handle. A very expensive item, so there was usually only one in the house; it would have been carried from room to room and even taken up to the bedroom. The strike could be silenced for the duration of the night but the pull-repeat would reveal the hour to insomniacs.
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Longcase Clock by Daniel Quare
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An 8 day rack striking longcase clock, no.151, by Daniel Quare, London, c.1720.
With anchor escapement, the break arch dial has a date ring in the arch.
The case with caddy top is in veneered walnut with gilt flambeau spandrels. Daniel Quare, c.1647-1724. Quare worked at St Martins-le-Grand and Exchange Alley, London. He became a celebrated maker of clocks including year going examples and also of repeating watches. He also invented a type of portable weatherglass. Quare became Master of the Clockmakers Co. in 1708 and on his death was buried at the Quakers Burial Ground at Bunhill Fields. This clock has a four pillar movement with a recoil escapement (with replaced pallets) and seconds pendulum. The striking train is an unusual rack system, superior in design to the more conventional type, which puts undue strain on the gathering pallet tail. The case is veneered in figured walnut and fretwork backed with silk high in the hood allows the sound of the bell to be heard more clearly. The gilt dial has a matt background with oval reserve for the name. The chapter, seconds and date ring are silvered. An expensive clock when first made, this one was designed for high ceilinged rooms of the type which became common among the wealthy as London was rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1666.
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