A clockmaker by the name of Henry Hindley was an exceptional inventor in the early 1700s, whose extraordinary turret clock is known as the best example of its kind.

Now, as this masterpiece is brought back to working order for the first time in years, an exhibition opens to explore more of his life.

Visitors are invited to take a step back in time as The Bar Convent opens its doors to explore The Secret Life of a Georgian Clockmaker.

This living heritage centre, at York's Micklegate Bar, is home to Hindley's Bar Convent turret clock - known to be among the best in the country. It took him seven years to complete from 1754 and boasts a pendulum of 19ft that drops down through three floors of this magnificent building.

Striking the Hours: The Secret Life of a Georgian Clockmaker, a new exhibition celebrating Henry Hindley at the Bar Convent, York. Pictured at work clock conservator Matthew Read. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe

placeholder image — Striking the Hours: The Secret Life of a Georgian Clockmaker, a new exhibition celebrating Henry Hindley at the Bar Convent, York. Pictured at work clock conservator Matthew Read. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe

Conservator Matthew Read, who has brought the clock back to working order, described it as a "tour-de-force" of 18th century clockmaking.

“The Bar Convent Turret Clock is an innovative and groundbreaking example, arguably one of the top 10 turret clocks in the world," he said.

Hindley, born in Lancashire in 1701, had made his home in York and set up workshops on Petergate and Stonegate, sending his daughter to be educated at the Bar Convent alongside other well-to-do Catholic girls in the city.

The clockmaker also made watches, with some examples of his work in the Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, and York Castle Museum.

Pictured Dr Hannah Thomas, Special Collections Manager at the Bar Convent with the blue plaque to Henry Hindley. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe

Special collections manager Hannah Thomas, sharing some of the stories which were uncovered while the clock restoration was underway, said it has revealed some riveting details.

“We carried out further research into the clock and Hindley’s links to the convent and city and we found it so interesting that we wanted to share our findings with the public,” she said.

One of the stories uncovered is from 1750, just as Hindley finished installing an expensive turret clock in York Minster.

Jacques Sterne, an influential Anglican cleric, had been the man to commission the piece. But it was also Sterne who had waged war against the sisters of the convent, and attempted to do all he could to run them out of York in the 1740s.

Clock conservator Matthew Read. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe

Dr Thomas reflected on Hindley's later actions. She asked: "Is it just coincidence that by 1754, Hindley was working on the Bar Convent’s turret clock, which was more expensive than the Minster clock and had a more complex and impressive mechanism…?

“We invite visitors to discover more about this fascinating rivalry and Hindley’s networks, explore the hidden workings of the Bar Convent turret clock."

The exhibition, Striking the Hours: The Secret Life of a Georgian Clockmaker will run until November. Also on display is a blue plaque dedicated to Hindley, on loan from York Civic Trust.