Church Clock Restored – 10th November 2011.   Five months after the Clock was removed (on the 4th July 2011) for cleaning and overhauling, the mechanism was reinstated, and together with the repainted, and re-gilded, clock faces the town has its landmark timepiece back in action.
4th Jul 2011		12th Nov 2011

The clock was made in 1883 and although on the clock’s ‘setting dial’ it bears the name of a local man and the word Uckfield, it was, in fact, made by Thwaites and Reed of Clerkenwell in London.  It is typical of their design at that time and very similar to their clock in the Knightsbridge Barracks in London. The clock features dials that are unusually placed, being on the out-built mountings on the four sides of the spire.  Likewise the clock itself is also unusually mounted because it is above the bell-frame in the belfry and on a level with the base of the spire.

 
Although constructed in 1883 it is of a particularly good design and the materials and workmanship are also uniformly good in quality. The clock’s Westminster chimes strike on the quarter hour (with each quarter having a different chime) and strikes, in full, on the hours.  (For further details about the clock please see Church Clock in 'Other Information' in the Information menu.)

In addition to the cleaning and overhauling the clock has been fitted with a ‘night silencer’ this will mean that the Clock’s neighbours will not be disturbed during the night.  The fitting of an 'automatic pendelum regulator’ will mean that the Clock will keep accurate time via GPS satellite time signals, so the countless number of people who check their watches against the clock each day will in future be assured of an accurate time.  However, most importantly the Clock, and the chimes, have been converted to ‘automatic winding’.  This means that the dedicated band of volunteers - who had the arduous twice weekly task of climbing up in to the clock tower (above the bells) to wind the clock and bell chime weights - can now take a permanent rest.  Should there be a power failure the whole system will revert to a battery back-up system.

The restoration (which cost £31,500) would have not been possible had it not been for the generosity of so many people.  Many sponsored a clock face numeral, while others chose the repainting of a clock face, or re-gilding of a clock hand, and there many donations received from people who wished to remain anonymous.  Go to the Photo Gallery and open the folder titled "Holy Cross Bells and Clock Mechanism" to view three photos of the restored clock mechanism.

Bishop John of Chichester rededicated the Clock at a Service held at 12.00 noon on Thursday 16th February 2012. The Service was held in the Church Yard with well over one hundred parishioners and sponsors of the restoration present. Go to the Photo Gallery and open the folder titled "Holy Cross Bells and Clock Mechanism" to see two photographs taken at the Service.  After the Service the celebration continued in the Belmont Centre with a buffet lunch