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Broad Sheet 2: Time and Place BROAD SHEET communicates the work of the Museum of the Ormskirk York History of Science, Local time: 11 minutes 36 Local time: 4 minutes 20 Oxford. seconds behind Greenwich seconds behind Greenwich Longest summer day: Longest summer day: 16 16 hours 53 minutes hours 58 minutes It is posted on the Shortest winter day: Shortest winter day: 7 hours 7 minutes 7 hours 2 minutes Museum’s website, sold in the shop, and distributed ‘Inward from the Sea is ‘This City not only Olmskirk ... a fair Town flourished under the to members of the near the Douglass, and Romans, but was also has a good Market on in great Reputation in mailing list, see Thursdays. ... The Brook succeeding Ages; and in www.mhs.ox.ac.uk. Douglass runs here with the several Turns and a still gentle Stream, near Revolutions this Kingdom which, ‘tis said, Arthur underwent under the defeated the Saxons in Saxons, Danes, and a memorable Battel. Normans, has, though a Wiggan stands near Fellow-Sufferer with the the Rise of it ... much rest, through the helping inhabited by Brasiers, Hand and Countenance of Pewterers, Dyers, Weavers the Nobility and Gentry, of Rugs, &c. for Bedding, still preserved its ancient and is famous for the Lustre. It is at present choicest Coal in England.’ fair, large, and beautiful, adorned with many splendid Buildings, both publick and private, very populous, much resorted to, and well inhabited £1.00 by the Gentry, who in the Winter Season have their City Houses here, as others more southerly have 25th November 2006 - at London, as also their 15th April 2007 Assemblies.’ Time and Place English Country Clocks 1600-1840 his is the Museum’s second exhibition regions and how were they modified locally? organised in collaboration with the It quickly becomes clear that the clock is TAntiquarian Horological Society: a powerful tool for studying how both a single clock comes from the Museum’s technology and style not only spread but collection, while all the rest belong to also are adapted to local circumstances. members of the Society. They have been Table clock generously placed on loan for everyone to This Broad Sheet presents the main themes by Henry Hindley, enjoy. of the exhibition and a selection of the clocks, Longcase clock while a full catalogue has been published by by John Taylor, York, c.1750 On this occasion the Society has turned away the Antiquarian Horological Society. The Ormskirk, c.1725 from the metropolis to seek out clocks with quotations illustrating the circumstances and An ebony table clock with a two- provincial origins, with the aim of covering customs of the places represented are quoted train 8-day hour striking and as many English regions as possible. The from Herman Moll, A new description of A month-going hour-striking quarter repeating movement. result brings several questions into focus. England and Wales, with the adjacent islands longcase clock veneered in well- The case has an inverted bell top How did a trade in local clocks made for (London, 1724). The road maps come from matched pollard oak having an with carrying handle and full local customers become established and John Owen, Britannia Depicta, or Ogilby unusual three-centred arched arch dial. The dial shows seconds evolve? Did regional styles emerge? How did Improv’d (London, 1751). dial. This shape is reflected in technical and stylistic trends spread between in the arch and the silvered ring the cornice, fretted frieze and is divided into half seconds. The also the top of the long door. tall round-topped plate-frame The dial, with cherub’s head movement is full of the maker’s spandrels, has a boldly engraved individualistic features such as the chapter ring. The moon’s age is double baluster pillars, reversed shown in the arch by a slender fusees, dead-beat escapement pointer against an engraved THE and pendulum. The trains are ring in the centre of which the ANTIQUARIAN reversed with going train on the moon’s phase is indicated by a HOROLOGICAL left and striking and repeat work SOCIETY rotating sphere. on the right. Broad Sheet is produced by the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3AZ Tel +44(0)1865 277280 Fax +44(0)1865 277288 Web: www.mhs.ox.ac.uk Email: [email protected] Text and images supplied by The Antiquarian Horological Society. All rights reserved. Table clock by John Glazebrook and Thomas Hutchinson, Mansfield Mansfield, c.1730 Stamford Local time: 1 minute 56 seconds behind Greenwich A walnut-veneered table clock Local time: 4 minutes 44 seconds with 8-day hour-striking and Longest summer day: 16 hours 42 minutes behind Greenwich quarter-repeating movement. Shortest winter day: 7 hours 18 minutes Longest summer day: The inverted-bell shape of the top 16 hours 48 minutes follows London style; however the ‘In Edward III’s Time, here was an University, which yet lasted not Shortest winter day: shape of the dial, with its small long, the Students returning again to Oxford, from whence, upon some 7 hours 12 minutes arch and day of the month sector, Quarrel, they removed hither: However, there are still the Remains confirms its Midlands origin. of Two Colleges, one call’d Black-Hall, the other Brazen-Nose; which The double signature is unusual ‘Mansfield, in Sherwood-Forest, is a last is older than that at Oxford; the Town nevertheless flourish’d still, as is its placing on the dial. The good large Town, and well built and dial has cherub’s head spandrels, till the Civil War between the Houses of York and Lancaster came on, inhabited, having a good malting which were in fashion in London which much impair’d it; yet it is still the fairest built and best compacted Trade; and its Market, which is on some 40 years earlier. Unusually, Town in the County, and finely seated for Pleasure and Convenience. Thursdays, is considerable for Corn, the quarter-repeating work ... They have an annual Custom of baiting a mad Bull.’ Cattle, Malt, Swine, and Provisions. incorporates a fusee mounted on Our Kings were wont formerly to the backplate. retire hither for the Diversion of Longcase clock Hunting.’ by John Watts, Stamford, c.1690 This 8-day three-train musical longcase clock has an exceptionally fine provincial floral marquetry case with walnut and ebony background. The case is surmounted with a fine carved partially-gilt cresting. The provincial origin of the case is indicated by the slightly unusual mouldings and bulbous twisted columns. The musical movement is very substantial and Bristol Cirencester is contained in a large posted frame. It plays two tunes and the bells are struck by 15 hammers. Local time: 10 minutes 20 seconds Local time: 7 minutes 56 seconds behind Greenwich behind Greenwich Longest summer day: Longest summer day: 16 hours 31 minutes 16 hours 28 minutes Shortest winter day: Shortest winter day: 7 hours 29 minutes 7 hours 32 minutes ‘Cirencester on the Churn, over which it has a Bridge, and, in ‘It is a sweet and delightful City, the Woulds, very commodious for Mills. It is a Place of great Table clock by Richard adorned with many fair and Antiquity, being the Caercori or Caerceri of the Britons, the Greenhill, Corinium of Ptolemy, and the Durocornovium of Antoninus. Canterbury delightful Edifices, wonderfully Canterbury, c.1685 improved of late Years: Its Streets Its ruinous Walls yet to be seen, contain’d two Miles in Circuit; Local time: 4 minutes 20 seconds ahead of Greenwich are so neatly order’d, that no Filth many Roman Coins, chequer’d Work Pavements, and engraven An ebonised table clock with shallow or Ordure is to be seen to annoy the Marble Stones have been dug up here. In this Town the first Longest summer day: 16 hours 26 minutes dome and carrying handle, a floral Inhabitants: But its greatest Glory forcible Opposition was made in 1641, upon the Lord Chandos Shortest winter day: 7 hours 34 minutes engraved dial centre and unusual of all, and wherein she exceeds all executing the King’s Commission of Array; and here the first spandrels. The general appearance ‘It has at present a great Trade, to which the Foreigners of the clock seems to follow London other Cities and Places in England, Blood was drawn in the Revolution of 1688, the Lord Lovelace in it have contributed very much; They are partly practice; however the 8-day hour striking is, she has provided Work-Houses to being attack’d with his Party for the Prince Walloons, and partly French, the first being driven movement is differently arranged with employ her Poor at her own Charge; of Orange, and made a Prisoner. ... As out of Artois and other Provinces of the Netherlands high winding squares, striking work on so that as they have no Beggers of to the present State of Cirencester, it’s a in the Time of Queen Elizabeth, settled here and the right and a plain back plate. their own in their Streets, they will Borough, sends Members to Parliament, brought with them the Art of weaving Silk into allow none from other Parts to come and has two weekly Markets, on Mondays England, and this is now so much improved, that their amongst them. They use no Carts, chiefly for Corn, and on Fridays for Wool, Silks equal, if not exceed any foreign Silk whatsoever, but Sledges in Bristol ...’ Yarn, and Provisions.’ and they send great Quantities of it to London. The Settlement of the French was since the Persecution of Wall clock Lewis XIV.
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