Parishioners in the Farnhams launched a campaign to save their church clock, which proved to be one of the rarest in the country.

When parishioners at St Mary’s Church, in Farnham Royal, began their fundraising efforts to restore the late 19^th century clock, they were amazed to discover that the unassuming looking Arts and Crafts style piece could be unique.

Former district councillor, Jerry Houdret, ran the fund-raising campaign, called in the experts to have the clock restoration costed. “The clock restoration specialists I brought in have announced that it is actually ‘rare and precious’ – possibly unique in the world!” said Jerry. “I’ve lived next door to the clock for thirty years but never in all that time realised it was so special. Not only are the dials in Arabic numbers at a time when Roman numerals were favoured, but they are in a highly unusual form characteristic of the Arts and Crafts movement.”

Steve Coombes, of Gillett and Johnston, suppliers of the original mechanism, said, “I’ve never before come across dials of that design in all my worldwide travels, and I’ve been working on clocks since 1964.”

It was estimated that immediate and urgent repairs would cost about £7,000, with a further £5,000 to bring the mechanism into the 21^st century by adding an autowinder and night silencer, whilst retaining its authentic character.

St Mary’s rare clock was installed over 100 years ago in 1891 in memory of a long serving rector, the Revd Stirling Frederick Marshall.  The clock’s style fits in perfectly with the William Morris and Ford Maddox Brown stained glass windows, put in when the church was partly rebuilt by the leading Aesthetic Movement architect Eden Nesfield.  

“I’m delighted that the clock has turned out to be exceptional,” says St Mary’s Churchwarden and retired Pakistan Army Colonel, Innocent Shams. “It hasn’t worked for nearly five years and I just hope we can raise the funds to repair it.”  

To increase awareness of  Farnham Royal’s newly-discovered treasure and to get the fundraising off to a flying start, an Open Day and  Clock Valuations Roadshow was held at St. Mary’s Church in Church Road, Farnham Royal on Saturday, 4^th July 2009 and bell-ringers ring out a quarter peal of bells to get the day off to a rousing start. This was be followed by a short presentation about the appeal and its goals.

Clock and watch valuations, (photographs of larger clocks can be brought in) were held from 10.30am to 12.30 pm by Carl Barnes, organiser of the Uxbridge Clock and Watch Fairs, for donations to the fund of  £2.00.   “As well as focusing on the appeal, this is a great outing for anyone who is interested in antique clocks, watches or fob watches,” said valuation expert Carl Barnes.

There was also an Exhibition featuring St Mary’s now renowned clock and the 19^th century Arts and Crafts movement, along with a display on time-telling by children of St Mary’s C of E Primary School. Refreshments and delicious home-made cakes were available throughout the day.