Peterborough dac caring for your church clock and Faculty applications Guidance note dac policy

Many of the clocks in church buildings in the Diocese are of great historical value and in several cases have been in the parish for centuries. They have served communities long and well and the DAC seeks to encourage PCCs to adopt a sensible maintenance programme so they can continue to work indefinitely.

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   Ownership and Repairs.
   

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  In some cases there is a doubt over the actual ownership of the church clock, as it may have been given by a donor or the local council.
  
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  Whoever owns the clock, it comes under Faculty Jurisdiction so, apart from routine maintenance, whatever is done has to be authorised. The simplest cases may be dealt with as a Minor Matter by the Archdeacon but, in the first instance contact the DAC office (contact details below).
  

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  Many parishes experience difficulties in finding or replacing a clock winder. These people are like gold dust and are worth seeking out and retaining. Not only do they look after the clock’s time-keeping and spot trouble at the earliest stage, but as regular tower climbers they are the first to notice any general problems.
  
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  If it is impossible to find a winder, then you may consider fitting automatic winding to the clock. As long as this is done in a non-destructive and reversible way, it can prove satisfactory.
  
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  If automatic winding is chosen, it is still important that one person remains solely responsible for it (even if they wish to spread their duties). That person will adjust the clock from time to time (for automatic winding does not improve the clock’s time-keeping abilities) and keep an eye out for trouble. Your clockmaker will give short and simple instruction on these duties.
  
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  PCCs should be aware that the Council for the Care of Churches has issued the following advice about the fitting of auto-winders to turret clocks (June 2005):
  

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   Auto-winding should normally be applied to the barrel arbor.
   
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   In exceptional circumstances, and where this can be demonstrated to be for the benefit of the clock, auto-winding may be applied to the 2^nd arbor, but never any higher in the train.
   
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   Auto-winding must never be applied above any mechanical activity in the train. Winding jacks are never to be used as part of an auto-winding installation.
   
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   The clock must always remain completely intact and the installation be capable of removal so that it can be returned to manual winding.
   
   
   
   
   

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  It is not generally acceptable is to fit an electric synchronous motor into the clock to control its time-keeping. This not only completely changes the nature of the clock, but its fitting can destroy or mutilate an historic mechanism.
  
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  Replacing a perfectly acceptable clock of indefinite life with an electric clock, and placing the original on display in the church, is not usually recommended. Turning a clock into a museum-piece in this way is fine at first, but what starts as a proud display can too often become merely a nuisance and dust trap for the next generation; and the clock is put at risk.
  

Any work contemplated on either clock or bells should take into account any possible effect on the other. Nothing must be done to one that will interfere with the working of, or access to, the other. In appropriate cases both the DAC Bells and Clocks Advisers should be called in to advise. (Though specialists, these people give their time and expertise for nothing, so the parish is put to minimum expense.)

Clocks are often situated in places difficult to get to, and have heavy weights, both of which have safety implications. The following areas need to be checked:

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  General cleanliness: particularly pigeon droppings which can cause breathing problems;
  
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  Safe access: ladders, stairs and their fittings; flooring, platforms and trapdoors safety rails
  
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  Parts of the mechanism itself: unguarded moving parts e.g. striking flies, auto-wind chains
  
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  Lighting: both relating to access and visibility of the clock mechanism
  
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  Electrical apparatus, especially old wiring
  
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  The danger of falling objects such as weights and the pendulum
  
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  Accident awareness: if one person goes into the tower alone, they should always leave a message with someone stating the approximate length of time they expect to be aloft. Accidents can happen and people do get locked into towers! Clocks are often associated with bells and these have safety guidelines of their own.
  

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  Housing. Church towers are notoriously dusty places so the clock should be inside a cupboard or other housing. It is also important to keep the area of the clock clean and tidy.
  
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  The Frame. Iron and steel frames get rusty; wooden frames can be attacked by insects. Generally, the job of de-scaling or painting a metal frame is one for the professional, for the frame really needs dismantling and repainting may not be appropriate on an historic mechanism.
  
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  Avoid rubbing down metal frames to remove rust as particles can get into the bearings. With care, wooden frames can be treated with a good clear colourless insecticide.
  
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  Oiling. Many church clocks are over-oiled. This is bad practice, and though clock wheels turn exceedingly slowly, oil will trap dust and grit to convert it into an extremely efficient grinding paste. Therefore oil only the pivots and bearings, and that sparingly, and use only proper turret clock oil (suppliers can be found via the CCC booklet or DAC Clocks Adviser).
  
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  Do not oil the teeth of the wheels or the pinions; the only exception to this being the teeth and pallets of the escapement which constantly ride over each other. (If your clock person doesn’t know what this means, don’t let them go near the clock with an oil can; rely on a maintenance contract.)
  
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  Weights, Lines, Pulleys, Clicks and Ratchets. From the safety viewpoint, these are the most important thing to check regularly. They are the means by which the weights are kept suspended, and the failure of any one of them could cause a dangerous accident.
  
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  It should be impossible for anyone to walk beneath the clock weights. The weights themselves should be contained within a chute with a metal cage below to contain them if they fall. Churches that do not have weight chutes should seriously consider installing them, otherwise the metal cage has to be much larger to cater for the possible deflection of the weights in falling. The bottom of the metal cage should contain a strong box of broken bricks or tiles sufficiently thick to absorb the energy of any falling weight.
  
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  It is a sure sign that something is wrong if you have to add extra weight to the clock to keep it going. It is time to call in a professional.
  
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  The pendulum can also fall if the suspension spring fails. Check it regularly and place something beneath it to break the fall in case the worst happens.
  
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  Lines should be checked regularly for fraying ropes, or rust and broken strands in wire lines. A powdery deposit from the inside of rope lines is also a bad sign. At any sign of trouble, call in a professional.
  
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  Pulleys, ratchets and barrel clicks are all potential points of failure and need regular checking.
  

For the technical details, the two booklets published by the Council for the Care of Churches and the Antiquarian Horological Society, detailed above, are adequate guides. They also cover the ancillary inspections on the leading off work, the motion work, the wires and levers to the bells, and the clock hammers and their lifting off mechanisms for striking and chiming clocks.

Continued overleaf

Further Advice

Further technical advice can be obtained from the Council for the Care of Churches, Church House, Great Smith Street, London SW1P, or the Antiquarian Horological Society, New House, High Street, Ticehurst, East Sussex, TN5 7AL.

For historic clocks, and this includes an extremely high proportion of those in this Diocese, grants towards repairs and conservation are available from the Conservation Committee of the Council for the Care of Churches. Contact details available from the DAC office.

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  A specification for the proposed works from a reputable clockmaker
  
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  An indication of whether the PCC has a maintenance contract with a clockmaker or intends to sign one with the contractor who is to undertake proposed works.
  
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  A description of the clock; age, maker, mechanism type etc.
  
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  Details of whether the proposed works to the clock will affect any bells or other fabric of the church.
  
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  Photographs (where possible) labelled as necessary.
  
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  A sketch plan of the layout of the clock room and a diagram showing its location in the tower, in relation to floors, bells, access routes.
  

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  It is possible that English Heritage or other bodies will need to be consulted about proposals. If the DAC believes that this is the case the PCC will be advised early on in the consideration of the work. The DAC will do its best to help the PCC to achieve good communication with whatever bodies have to be involved. The consultation may only require correspondence but in some cases a site meeting will need to be convened. Occasionally the DAC will not advise consultation at the outset but the Chancellor will require it when the faculty application is made, however such cases are very rare.
  
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  The church insurers should be informed of the proposed works and approval obtained.
  
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  The DAC is highly likely to consult its clocks advisor about any proposals but PCCs may also wish to have a preliminary visit from the advisor to discuss options and possibilities.
  
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  The DAC may also consult the Council for the Care of Churches, whether or not it has been approached by the PCC for a grant towards the cost of proposed works.