Sorry to crash the party - but the oldest mechanical clock in the world is 160 years older than this, located in Salisbury Cathedral. Also, this clock has been heavily modified from its original design with an anchor escapement. It's not very original at all.
We have not claimed this to be the oldest mechanical clock in the world or anywhere else. However, it is running, chiming and striking after 483 years, during which some wonderfully reliable and kind people have wound it every day. The tunewheel has been playing the hymn every 3 hours for about 330 years. I think that we can forgive the upgrade to a recoil escapement and the fitting of a few spare parts over that sort of time.
@duprie37 In the Netherlands in the province North Holland there is a clock from before 1400 from a former cloister in Overijssel and now in the tower in the village Winkel (gem. Niedorp) which is even older than the clock in Salisbury Cathedral.
The clock does not have a dial. It chimes the quarter hours, strikes the hours, and plays the Angels' Hymn, "Forth in Thy Name, O Lord, I Go" every three hours. Perhaps not having a hole through the wall to for a shaft to go through to drive hands has helped preserve the clock by keeping the weather out!
The most important indicator of a medieval mechanical clock is the bell. A clock is an "automatic bell". The word "clock" (in french "cloche", in german "glocke") means "bell" in latin. The dial wasn´t necesary for timekeeping.
It has been done - one of the stalwarts who wound the clock daily for several years took a whack on the nose from the fly on the hour strike countwheel end - not fun, he assures me!
They are called flys. They act as an air brake an they slow down the clock's striking. If there were no flys on the clock then the clock would chime very, very fast.
Finally You should check out some of my musical clock videos some are from my collection others are from people I know they are carillons mini version of what the churches with them use.
I would class a real music carillon something like in derby cathedral the drum is giant and has MANY pins it plays several tunes a different one each day it has 10 bells and around 25 hammers for note repetition and just plays one huge tune in one turn.
Its still nice though for 6 bells and 6 hammers :) and thanks for sharing.
Yer it sounds more like a chime played over 3 times than a full fledged tune its lovely but having experience working with musical and chiming clocks I see these things.
Quiet correct! The tunewheel rotates three times when it is triggered at 3,6,9 and 12 o'clock, day and night. You can see a bit more info about the clock at the hendred dot org website - Churches - scroll to bottom of page. Thanks for you comment.
The clock is dated 1525. The best estimate of the date when the tunewheel was added is 1674. Great that people are still watching the video!
charlespappen 1 month ago
When was this clock made, and when was the hymn-playing mechanism made?
ceredigio 1 month ago
you will really get a hit in the head by those big flys.
nicolaj0154 2 years ago
Nice video. I like it.
gaessu 2 years ago
I don't know what it is, but it's not a carillon.
Cindermakers 2 years ago
Sorry to crash the party - but the oldest mechanical clock in the world is 160 years older than this, located in Salisbury Cathedral. Also, this clock has been heavily modified from its original design with an anchor escapement. It's not very original at all.
duprie37 3 years ago
We have not claimed this to be the oldest mechanical clock in the world or anywhere else. However, it is running, chiming and striking after 483 years, during which some wonderfully reliable and kind people have wound it every day. The tunewheel has been playing the hymn every 3 hours for about 330 years. I think that we can forgive the upgrade to a recoil escapement and the fitting of a few spare parts over that sort of time.
charlespappen 3 years ago
where was the claim that this is the oldest mechanical clock in the world?
irkibby 2 years ago
@duprie37 In the Netherlands in the province North Holland there is a clock from before 1400 from a former cloister in Overijssel and now in the tower in the village Winkel (gem. Niedorp) which is even older than the clock in Salisbury Cathedral.
Carillonnl 1 year ago
Absolutely beautiful and very interesting.
mesmoland 3 years ago
Somehow it's very mesmerizing to look at this.
Because it's a complex mechanism that has been playing the tune for almost 500 years now. And a very nice tune by the way.
Does the clock have a face (dial) or is it made for striking and music purposes only?
Tingilyawen 3 years ago
The clock does not have a dial. It chimes the quarter hours, strikes the hours, and plays the Angels' Hymn, "Forth in Thy Name, O Lord, I Go" every three hours. Perhaps not having a hole through the wall to for a shaft to go through to drive hands has helped preserve the clock by keeping the weather out!
charlespappen 3 years ago
I just found out that many of the oldest clocks don't have a dial... I think I understand better now.
How do you think it was, that they were'nt built much or they just did'nt survive?
Tingilyawen 3 years ago
The most important indicator of a medieval mechanical clock is the bell. A clock is an "automatic bell". The word "clock" (in french "cloche", in german "glocke") means "bell" in latin. The dial wasn´t necesary for timekeeping.
JuandeXalon 3 years ago
man it would hurt to get hit by one of those flys!
msaxmatt3 3 years ago
It has been done - one of the stalwarts who wound the clock daily for several years took a whack on the nose from the fly on the hour strike countwheel end - not fun, he assures me!
charlespappen 3 years ago
amazing clock!
samanli1 4 years ago
wahnsinn diese technik das war qualität... wunderschön
bivoxuhri 4 years ago
What are those spinning propeller things for?
samanli1 4 years ago
They are called flys. They act as an air brake an they slow down the clock's striking. If there were no flys on the clock then the clock would chime very, very fast.
crazybellringer 4 years ago 5
Is this clock an end to end Birdcage clock?
crazybellringer 4 years ago
i think this clock is lovely. it has a nice sound to the bells.
msaxmatt3 4 years ago
I love all the clicking and clattering of complex old clockwork!
ccoraxfan 4 years ago 3
fantastico !!!!!
ninogizeta 4 years ago
not as old as the brugge belfry ,though! but this clock is really really old.
msaxmatt3 4 years ago
I guessed too the tune wheel was added later it looks fairly early though too so late 1600s sounds about right.
SrWilson 4 years ago
how old is that turret clock up there?
msaxmatt3 4 years ago
The clock is dated 1525. The best estimate of the date when the tunewheel was added is 1674.
charlespappen 4 years ago
Finally You should check out some of my musical clock videos some are from my collection others are from people I know they are carillons mini version of what the churches with them use.
SrWilson 4 years ago
I would class a real music carillon something like in derby cathedral the drum is giant and has MANY pins it plays several tunes a different one each day it has 10 bells and around 25 hammers for note repetition and just plays one huge tune in one turn.
Its still nice though for 6 bells and 6 hammers :) and thanks for sharing.
SrWilson 4 years ago
I think the tune once would make a nice quarter chime to proceed the hour strike. I see these church clocks quite alot also from been a bell ringer.
Sorry I keep posting but its the 500 character limit thing.
SrWilson 4 years ago
Yer it sounds more like a chime played over 3 times than a full fledged tune its lovely but having experience working with musical and chiming clocks I see these things.
SrWilson 4 years ago
Would I be right in thinking its playing the same tune 3 times?
SrWilson 4 years ago
Quiet correct! The tunewheel rotates three times when it is triggered at 3,6,9 and 12 o'clock, day and night. You can see a bit more info about the clock at the hendred dot org website - Churches - scroll to bottom of page. Thanks for you comment.
charlespappen 4 years ago
Very nice clock... but I think I'd get a little cranky if I heard it daily at 3 AM! ;-)
Green4321 4 years ago
I love clocks with carillons on church bells thanks for posting :D.
SrWilson 4 years ago