The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-10-03
ANCIENT CLOCKS.
IniereaiIng Facts Concerning Them.


octaviua Morgan, writing in Notes and
Queries, says There is remarkable clock
at Leeds Castle, in Kent, the seat of Mr.. @.
Wykeham Martin. II is within the castle.
but has 20 dial. 1t strikes on bell bearing
the date 1895, which seems to be the proba.
bic date of the clock, and on that bell the
curfew is rung every night OF 8 oiclock-a
custom which has been kept up ever since
the castle was built, about 1880 Tho strik-
ing part of the clock is in its original con.
dition, but the going part has been altered
TO adapt 1t to pendulum.
There can hardly be doubt that MANY IL
not most, Of the ancient abbeys, cathedrals,
and castles had similar clocks, but that. like
the celebrated clock Of Richard Wallineford
ct st. Adams, they have been destroyed !;
and l think i very probable that much in
formation might be gained on the subject IL
the fabric rolls of the cathedrals were exam
ined with that object
These were all fixed clocks of large size !;
but we now come to the domestic, or indoor
house clocks, which we're of smaller size.
and not permanent fixtures, but movable.
being hung up against wall or set upon a
bracket, with the weights and chains hang.
ing down, generally exposed. These clocks,
though not absolute fixtures, could not con-
veniently be moved or carried abont. They
must have come into use in the fifteenth
century; but. with the exception of that
already mentioned, have never seen clock
of that description so early rs 1900, and it
Is curious thing what has become of them.
Some were richly and highly ornamented,
for am now sitting before very fine large
and early picture OF ST. Jerome in his study,
work of about 1900, beautifully and
infinitely executed; and here is represented,
hanging against the wall above his head an
extremely elegant clock, with weight and
counterpoise hanging from it. The case of
the clock is apparently of gilt metal of most
elegant form, deliberately ornamented with
beautiful rich and delicate cinque cento de.
Sign. The hour circle is apparently of white
metal, and the centre of the dial is red
This seems to show what the style of room
clocks was at that time /; but none of them
SS~AAs" ~ Aie'S ~SAAo aoWh w us CSEkhlill1
none has come over here, and do not re.
member to have seen any in continental
museums but 1t is now many years since I
have travelled, and the museums may all
have been rearranged and new antique OBJ
lects brought out and displayed. am,
however, fortunately in possession of one
small hanging clock, but that is of the six.
teenth century. That and the beautiful
clock at Windsor CASTLE made for Anne
Boleyn are the only two weight clocks that
can call to mind.
The domestic clocks divide themselves
into two classes, those which go by weights
and those of which the motive power is a
coiled spring, which was not applied till
about 1900, and these spring clocks form
the class of chamber and table clocks. The
weight clocks, which the dealers are apt to
call fifteenth century clocks, are, in fact, the
work of the sixteenth and seventeenth GEN.
tnries-at least havo never heard OF one
earlier.
Mr.. Morgan infers from the marked SINH
larity of the brass house clocks of the six.
tecnth century that there were brass works
at Clerkenwell and Coventry which supplied
brass frames and dals to tho cockmakers in
London and the provincial towns.