A ‘TERRIFYING’ weekly climb in Leamington to ensure time ticked on has been banished to history.
The unnervingly rickety steps inside the tower of All Saints Parish Church pictured, were for many years carefully climbed in order to wind up the clock.
But following an extensive refurbishment the clock has been made electric, meaning no one has to take their life in their hands to ensure the good people of the town know what time it is.
The work cost £8,000 and was funded thanks to generous donations from Leamington Town Council, then Conservative MP Chris White’s Love Leamington fund, and from around 50 individuals.
The clock had been out of action for the past couple of years after the pendulum mechanism broke. Work started just before Christmas on cleaning the tower ahead of the work on the clock itself, which began in the new year.
Marianne Pitts, who is a member of the Friends of All Saints’ Church, told The Observer: “Observant readers will have noticed that our church clock is telling the time again – and what is more, no one will have to climb up these terrifying stairs every week to wind it up. It is now powered by electricity rather than human effort.
“The clock was stuck at 10 to 3 for many months so the parish prepared a “honey for tea” party to celebrate its return and thank the people who made it happen. A plaque is on the church noticeboard with names of the major donors – headed by Royal Leamington Spa Town Council, who paid nearly half.”
The clock – which has three faces – was made in London and was originally installed in 1884.
