Medieval Clock in Wells Cathedral
It is believed the clock was built in the 1380s, but the first reference to it comes from 1392-93 when ten shillings was paid to its keeper by the cathedral. The clock features figures of two knights and two Saracens who go around in a circle fighting each other every 15 minutes. It also has a 24-hour dial, which shows both the time and the phases of the moon.
To keep the clock going, three 250 kilogram weights are winched up on a pulley system, and as they slowly pull down for two days, the force powers the mechanism. This mechanism, which has been replaced on a couple of occasions, has been continuously operated for close to 630 years.
Since 1987 the current timekeeper has been Paul Fisher, a job he inherited from his father and grandfather. Now, at the age of 63, he has decided to retire and the Friends of the Wells Cathedral are funding its replacement with an electronic motor. (August 2010)
