Back in a tick – Barnard Castle clock faces up to the future

Barnard Castle’s community clock on the Methodist Church has had its face put back on.

The clock was left “faceless” after it was damaged while repairs to the mechanism were under way.

Now a fundraising campaign has been launched to cover the cost of having the historic clock repaired.

Church officers explained that over the years the mechanism and parts of the clock had deteriorated and it needed substantial repair.

The clock is historic as it was donated to the town by solicitor and town clerk John Ingram Dawson (1873-1951).

He is remembered in the town for also buying Woodleigh which was converted into council offices and the demolition of old houses in the lower part of the town replaced with new housing along Dawson Road.

The clock was installed in what was a rose window in the Methodist Church in 1952 with support from Barnard Castle Town Council. However time has taken its toll on the mechanism.

Elizabeth Ashworth from the church said: “For quite some time, the hands of the clock were stuck at five past the hour. We asked the Cumbria Clock Company to determine if it was repairable.

“Their initial quote was to repair the mechanism to make it function again, but when they came to carry out the work, the glass face of the clock cracked and fell inwards into the spire.

“To protect the mechanism from the weather a plastic sheet was fitted over the face, hence the “faceless” clock. This unfortunate incident doubled the cost of the repair as a new perspex face was required to attach the hands of the clock.”

The team from Cumbria Clock Company had the daunting task of climbing steel ladders to access the clock to make the repairs.

Elizabeth said: “The Methodist Church is very much aware of the importance of the clock to the community because of its prime location and without it, it is certainly a loss.

On August 4 the clock was repaired and is now functioning for the community.”

Barnard Castle Town Council has put £500 towards the cost of the repair, but the church is hoping the community will help to cover the remaining amount of about £700.

People can make donations during the weekly Wednesday coffee morning held at the church or contact any church member.