Ossington
Holy Rood

Clock

The clock has two dials on the tower; they are on the south and east sides of the drum above the Tuscan columns. They are painted blue with gilded roman numbers and hands.

The clock bell
seen from above

The clock was made by George and Francis Cope, Nottingham. It is a flat bed, weight-driven 8 day clock. It chimes the hour on the clock bell which is hung dead above the ring. The quarter hours are the Westminster chime.

The clock was presented to the church by the Rt Hon John Evelyn Denison, Speaker of the House of Commons (1857-1872). Said to have been inspired by hearing Big Ben he must have given the clock between 1859 (completion of Big Ben) and 1873 (his death).

In John Carr’s original plans the clock face is shown on the north side of the second stage of the tower. There is no indication that a clock was ever placed in this position, but there are discs on the north and south sides which show where it could have been.