On Time at St. Mary Magdalene’s

The clock at St. Mary Magdalene’s church has quietly moved forward into the twenty-first century. After more than a year’s rest on Twelve (noon or midnight – it could be either) it is now accurately telling the time. The clock’s old electrical winding mechanism had failed but thanks to the technical wizardry of Matthew Warburton and his team at Lancashire Clockmakers not only is there a new mechanism, but it is controlled by the Manufacturing, Science and Finance radio system. This means it will keep accurate time to within two seconds and there is no longer any need for an engineer to climb the winding tower stairs to make adjustments.

None of this could have happened without a generous grant from Ribble Valley Borough Council who recognised the special circumstances, in part because the clock was set up by public subscription in 1845. It doesn’t strike the hours like the library clock but is a prominent timekeeper visible over a wide area of Clitheroe.

Thank you to Lancashire Clockmakers, Ribble Valley Borough Council and everyone who contributed to bringing the clock back to life.

Patricia Duxbury