Historic York clock makes its return (From York Press)
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Historic Coney Street clock makes its return
8:50am Monday 3rd September 2012 in News
By Mark Stead, mark.stead@thepress.co.uk
Anthony Hammersley, churchwarden at St Martin-le-Grand Church, in Coney Street, York, right, and Keith Scobie-Youngs, of the Cumbria Clock Company, install the minute hand on the newly-restored clock
A CROWD of “clock-watchers” gathered as a historic timepiece was returned to its rightful place in the centre of York.
The famous clock outside St Martin-le-Grand Church, in Coney Street, was taken down last November to allow restoration work costing more than £54,000 to be carried out.
The ten-month renovation project by the Cumbria Clock Company is the biggest the clock, which features a Little Admiral figure, has undergone since it was rebuilt and restored to the church in 1966. It will now strike the hours as well as chiming every 15 minutes.
The Archdeacon of York, the Ven Richard Seed, will today rededicate the clock after praising local charities and trustees for their support.
The operation to put it back in place started at 6am yesterday, with Gate Helmsley-based York Crane Hire in charge.
Chuck Richardson, the firm’s owner, said: “We took the clock down last year and were asked to lift it back on to the church. It’s extremely delicate and we had a team of five working on the job, which took about four hours. Even though it was early, there was a crowd of 20 to 25 people watching it happen and taking pictures and videos, so we had quite a few spectators.”
A clock has stood over Coney Street since 1668. The current design dates back to 1856, while the figure of the naval officer on top of the timepiece has been there since 1779. It will now be wound weekly by members of the York Clock Group.
The tune for the new quarter-hour chimes was written by York composer Andrew Carter.
“It’s wonderful to have the clock back as it’s one of York’s most famous sights,” said the Rev Jane Nattrass, vicar of St Martin-le-Grand.
“The clock now features sound and movement, and I’m sure lots of people will pause to see the Little Admiral revolve.”
Andrew Hingston, from the church, oversaw the restoration work. He said: “We only realised the scale of it once the clock was in the workshop.
“The 19th century bracket has been repaired, repainted and gilded and the face of Father Time has been replaced. The Little Admiral figure has been repainted in the correct 18th century colours, and for the first time in nearly two centuries, he revolves as he originally did.”
Comments(22)
Geoffers
says...
6:00pm Sun 2 Sep 12
R'Marcus wrote:Stupid boy!
Is this £54,000 restored clock digital?
ouseswimmer
says...
8:10pm Sun 2 Sep 12
citydweller
says...
8:32pm Sun 2 Sep 12
it at 7.30pm this evening and it had stopped at 6.10pm (unless it has been stopped on purpose until the ceremony tomorrow).
jumbojet
says...
9:39pm Sun 2 Sep 12
Bloater
says...
9:41pm Sun 2 Sep 12
Katiestewart
says...
10:23pm Sun 2 Sep 12
terranova
says...
9:48am Mon 3 Sep 12
Firedrake
says...
10:00am Mon 3 Sep 12
again
says...
10:43am Mon 3 Sep 12
Blimp
says...
10:46am Mon 3 Sep 12
YorkPatrol
says...
1:48pm Mon 3 Sep 12
I could have done it for a shade over £20k. Depending on the internal gears and weights perhaps cheaper
sheps lad
says...
3:51pm Mon 3 Sep 12
Bloater
says...
5:45pm Mon 3 Sep 12
Firedrake wrote:Midshipmen did not wear gold braid, at least in public! These wooden figures were not that unusual and often referred to as 'little' or 'wooden' midshipmen (most famously by Charles Dickens in Dombey and Son), probably on account of their size. They were used as advertising signs at ship chandlers and instrument makers. But their details vary, and the one at St Martin's is the oldest datable example and the only one on a clock. See http://www.stmartins
I believe the "Little Admiral" is actually a Midshipman - but the misnoma has become enshrined in York lore. It'll be great to see him revolve, whatever he's called!
york.org.uk/clock/ad
miral.html to learn more.
expubcrawler
says...
7:30pm Mon 3 Sep 12
Nice to see it's back again.
lels
says...
7:48pm Mon 3 Sep 12
expubcrawler wrote:I use this saying! It is well known in York. All the people who are carping about the cost...shut up. It's great to see it back again and at least there won't be any sleeping nightwatchmen bothered by the chiming!
I always remember when women would gossip about someone and the conversation invariably included the statement; "She's as two faced as Coney Street Clock".
Nice to see it's back again.
henleazeyorkie
says...
9:25pm Mon 3 Sep 12
(Nice to see it back though!)
magicadey
says...
9:11am Tue 4 Sep 12
HRH Lady Muck
says...
11:19am Tue 4 Sep 12
jumbojet
says...
9:03pm Tue 4 Sep 12
expubcrawler wrote:£54000 is too much money, and those of you who think otherwise must have some very high incomes and have ,as a result, become totally blinkered to basic costings. You all, no doubt, drink £20 bottles of wine. Those of us who have to care about costs go for cheaper versions. York Council were ripped off, and spent the tax payers money in a haphazard sort of way. £60000 motor cars comes to mind, and a foreign badge as well.
I always remember when women would gossip about someone and the conversation invariably included the statement; "She's as two faced as Coney Street Clock".
Nice to see it's back again.
expubcrawler
says...
10:02pm Tue 4 Sep 12
Sorry you feel that way jumbojet but you're way off base on this one.
Magicman!
says...
12:50am Thu 6 Sep 12
Restoring something is a very time consuming and labourious process... take a look at that bracket for example - if you assume the bracket was rusted, perhaps right the way through in places, then the metal needs to be stripped, treated, sandblasted, filled (perhaps with bespoke new castings made) and structurally tested before painting - and that's just for a few big bits of metal.
There is also an absolutely massive safety case for the clock restoration - you don't want the spinning bloke on the top to spin off and hit somebody on the head, and you certainly don't want the bracket to fail and the clock fall on people on a saturday afternoon... so the work has to be done carefully so as not to compromise the integrity of the thing.
R'Marcus says...
4:51pm Sun 2 Sep 12