CLOCK WATCHING

TAKING A LOOK AROUND A PIECE OF COVENTRY HISTORY THAT HAS STOOD FOR OVER A CENTURY

THIS old clock tower has stood high upon the Coventry skyline for just over a century - and even made it through the Blitz.

Those who walk along Earl Street and St Mary’s Street may only notice the timepiece as they turn their gaze skyward and it certainly catches the eye of those who do.

It’s been connected to the city’s council house since 1917 but has sadly never been open to the public.

But the Telegraph was given exclusive access to have a look around the tower and even inside the clock itself, so check out our video above and the gallery below to see what we found.

The clock tower, designed by Edward Garrett at HW Simister dates back to 1917 when the Coventry Council House building was completed at the height of World War One.

The Grade II listed mock Tudor tower then officially opened in 1920 but was never open to members of the public due to “access logistics”.

Coventrians had to make do with views of the clock fro the outside as they went about their business in the city centre. Those restrictions remain in place to this day.

The clock was originally wound up twice a week - on Tuesday and Thursday nights - until the winding gear was replaced by an electrical system. However, more impressively the towering building somehow managed to survive the Blitz on Coventry by German bombers in November 1940, when much of the city - including the nearby cathedral - was destroyed.

In the latter part of the last century the clock was removed, structurally re-strengthened and remounted by expert workers at Smiths of Derby.

So next time you’re taking a stroll by the council house, why not take a look up at the clock tower that has stood proud in Coventry for a century and, of course, is still able to give you the important information of the time of day.