Church gets a helping hand with clock restoration project

A CLOCK built to honour the fallen of the First World War but has remained dormant for more than a decade is being restored.

The clock sits in the tower of St Saviour’s Church, which is the home to the York Archaeological Trust’s DIG archaeological attraction, and was one of many installed nationwide to honour those who fell in the Great War.

However, the clock, which was made by York master clockmaker GJF Newey, struck its final stroke in 1999 when the tower’s floor was deemed a hazard, preventing the keeper from attending to its running.

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The restoration has been prompted by York Clock Group and saw members of the Cumbria Clock Company abseil down the tower yesterday to put the hands back on the face of the clock, which is due to be back working by the end of the week. A new floor has also been installed so that the clock can be maintained.

York Archaeological Trust’s chief executive, John Walker, said: “Many of the thousands of visitors to York who come to see the city’s history are unaware of the hidden history above their heads.

“We are pleased that this slice of the past will be back up and running and in full working order.”

The restoration is being funded by the archaeological trust and the Noel G Terry Charitable Trust,

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