The clock at St Edward’s Church Goathurst, has stood at the top of the church tower for more than two hundred years, its steady presence has marked many events and moments of faith, connecting people across generations. Celebrations took place to mark the clock's restoration bringing the whole community together to share this special occassion. Brenda Smith, Churchwarden, shares how the restoration brings a renewed sense of hope and belonging to everyone involved in the life of St Edward’s and the village of Goathurst.
A celebration
During April’s ‘Opportunity Sunday’, over 30 people climbed the 32 spiral steps to view and learn about our historic clock mechanism from guides Andy Hicklin and Julian Parr. The day culminating in a celebratory service of thanksgiving featuring Goathurst’s own ‘Clockworks song. (This event was delayed until the worn tower steps were repaired and the rope handrail installed.)
If the bells are the voice of the village, then the tower clock is the heartbeat of our community. It was greatly missed during the silent years from 2019 when it was out of action due to the cracked bell and there was much rejoicing last year when it was fully restored. So many villagers commented on how its striking on the hour somehow made us feel held and connected again, binding us-a sense of togetherness.
When we are in our gardens it tells us when it’s time to put the kettle on for a cuppa, time for lunch, or even time to pack up because it’s later than you thought! Some folk even find its striking comforting in the middle of the night!
Our clock was the gift of Sir Charles Kemeys Tynte 292 years ago, back in 1734 when it was installed and, at that time it didn’t have a dial. The clockface was added over 104 years later using one of the tower windows for the unusual, single hand mechanism. It was made by John Hunt of Bridgwater and is one of the oldest surviving clocks of this provenance; we are assured that it rates very highly on any horologists’ significance scale! ‘It is of outstanding local importance and of national significance.’ (Julian Parr , horologist, 2020)
For 273 years it required daily winding- it’s no wonder the steps to the clock chamber were so dangerously worn, having to be repaired in the 1980s and again last year. Some of us oldies well remember Arthur Wise and then Harry Meade faithfully climbing the tower every day for years of their lives to keep it wound. However, in 2007 it underwent its first renovation when David Stanley led the PCC in raising funds which also enabled an automated winding system to be installed. Peter Evered repaired the chamber floor and built the cupboard around it whilst Roy Baker saw to the electrical work. The Dougherty family of Sherwood gave specific donations towards the project-a real community effort. No more daily tower climbs and cause for celebration when Alison Webster composed the music and her sister-in-law, Angela the words, to ‘Clockworks’.
Today, almost 20 years later, that community spirit lives on – now we are grateful to Andy Hicklin, our resident ‘horologist’ who meets with the horologists from Cumbria Clocks and regularly keeps a watchful eye on the mechanism to ensure it keeps good time.
We are hugely indebted to: The Leche Trust, HDH Wills Trust, Churchcare/Pilgrim Trust, an anonymous donor and all who attended a fund raising cream tea in 2024, who have enabled this restoration which we hope, with our annual maintenance contract, will keep the ‘heartbeat’ healthy for another 300 years!