Clock

One of the most recognisable features of the church, the large double-facing clock stands several feet into the street on the eastern side of the building. Appearing in pictures from as early as the 1800s, this style of clock is most commonly found on a churches western frontage or within the tower, which has been suggested as the original location of the St Mary-at-Hill clock.The original clock could possibly be by John Wise, the father of Joseph Wise, Langley Bradley’s Master. This is likely especially because of his connections with Sir Christopher Wren at other churches and his link to Langley Bradley who was Master of the Clockmakers Company, made the original clock for St Paul’s Cathedral in about 1706, and who worked with Wren in later years.John Wise is known to have made a number of turret clocks (Bodicote, Oxfordshire, 1700s; St Dion’s in Fenchurch St, 1686; St Sepulchre, Holborn 1671) and it is also thought that he made the clock at St James Garlickhythe, which was altered by William Smith of Upper Moorfields around 1750, with further alterations by Benjamin Vulliamy around 1840.In 1826-27 the St Mary-at-Hill clock was converted to two hands, i.e., minute hands fitted, but perhaps still being driven by the Wise clock movement, which, like the clock at St James’s, had probably been repaired and perhaps altered several times by then.The clock is controlled remotely, originally by a winding mechanism in the tower. In the 1960s, the clock was replaced by Smith of Derby and the existing synchronous electric movement was fitted.The clock was restored in 2023.

Clock

One of the most recognisable features of the church, the large double-facing clock stands several feet into the street on the eastern side of the building. Appearing in pictures from as early as the 1800s, this style of clock is most commonly found on a churches western frontage or within the tower, which has been suggested as the original location of the St Mary-at-Hill clock.The original clock could possibly be by John Wise, the father of Joseph Wise, Langley Bradley’s Master. This is likely especially because of his connections with Sir Christopher Wren at other churches and his link to Langley Bradley who was Master of the Clockmakers Company, made the original clock for St Paul’s Cathedral in about 1706, and who worked with Wren in later years.John Wise is known to have made a number of turret clocks (Bodicote, Oxfordshire, 1700s; St Dion’s in Fenchurch St, 1686; St Sepulchre, Holborn 1671) and it is also thought that he made the clock at St James Garlickhythe, which was altered by William Smith of Upper Moorfields around 1750, with further alterations by Benjamin Vulliamy around 1840.In 1826-27 the St Mary-at-Hill clock was converted to two hands, i.e., minute hands fitted, but perhaps still being driven by the Wise clock movement, which, like the clock at St James’s, had probably been repaired and perhaps altered several times by then.The clock is controlled remotely, originally by a winding mechanism in the tower. In the 1960s, the clock was replaced by Smith of Derby and the existing synchronous electric movement was fitted.The clock was restored in 2023.

One of the most recognisable features of the church, the large double-facing clock stands several feet into the street on the eastern side of the building. Appearing in pictures from as early as the 1800s, this style of clock is most commonly found on a churches western frontage or within the tower, which has been suggested as the original location of the St Mary-at-Hill clock.The original clock could possibly be by John Wise, the father of Joseph Wise, Langley Bradley’s Master. This is likely especially because of his connections with Sir Christopher Wren at other churches and his link to Langley Bradley who was Master of the Clockmakers Company, made the original clock for St Paul’s Cathedral in about 1706, and who worked with Wren in later years.John Wise is known to have made a number of turret clocks (Bodicote, Oxfordshire, 1700s; St Dion’s in Fenchurch St, 1686; St Sepulchre, Holborn 1671) and it is also thought that he made the clock at St James Garlickhythe, which was altered by William Smith of Upper Moorfields around 1750, with further alterations by Benjamin Vulliamy around 1840.In 1826-27 the St Mary-at-Hill clock was converted to two hands, i.e., minute hands fitted, but perhaps still being driven by the Wise clock movement, which, like the clock at St James’s, had probably been repaired and perhaps altered several times by then.The clock is controlled remotely, originally by a winding mechanism in the tower. In the 1960s, the clock was replaced by Smith of Derby and the existing synchronous electric movement was fitted.The clock was restored in 2023.