Village clock project is awarded £17,553 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Clock at St Matthews Parish Church in Renishaw will be restored and updated.

The money has been awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to St Matthews WW1 Memorial Project in respect of the clock above the entrance porch at the parish church in Renishaw.

An ageing church congregation make the maintenance of the clock difficult, necessitating a 15ft climb on a ladder to reach the housing. The restoration and updating of the timepiece should make it easier to operate.

Part of the money will be used to retell the story of the clock from 1919 to 2019 and the changes in the history and heritage of the area during that time.

There's currently a 15ft climb up a ladder to get to the housing of the church clock.

Young and older people will work together to discover the significant issues of the time since its installation by collecting or recording 20 stories that reflect residents’ recollections. The church clock would have helped the village and workforces keep their own timepieces regulated at home or tell them when to start work in the mines, steelworks or railways. A celebratory pamphlet and exhibition about the clock’s history will be produced at the end of the project in August 2023.

Rev Michael Guest said: “We’re delighted that we’ve received this support thanks to National Lottery players. The church clock at St. Matthews is an important part of the village heritage. It’s great to know that we are a step closer to conserving it for future generations and our community.”