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- Published:
- 29 August 2024
The clock above the Stables cafe hasn't worked for a long time. Can you help us get the cogs turning again?
Walter Bankes (1853-1904) was a keen sportsman, known for his race, hunting and carriage horses. In 1880, he built handsome new stables to the west of the house, topping the entrance with an elegant clocktower that housed an early flatbed clock built by Smith of Derby.
The clock has a pin wheel escapement, quarter chimes and an hour strike. It has not turned a wheel in years, and so has rusted and completely seized up.
We’re hoping to raise £50,000 to help fund the restoration work.
The clock needs to be dismantled, and each part cleaned and assessed for excessive wear. Any worn bearings will be re-brushed, and pivots and other working surfaces will be resurfaced & polished. The clock would then be repainted, lubricated, and rebuilt. Any necessary adjustments would then be made to ensure continuous reliable operation, including fitting automatic winders to ensure the continuous future running of the clock.
If you can support this project, you can click the link below (scroll down to 'Make a donation', and please make sure you fill in 'Kingston Lacy' on the form), or if you are visiting donate using the contactless 'tap to donate' machines (located under the clocktower, at the entrance to the Stables cafe).