When the clocks at Eastnor Castle chime all at once, the house feels full of magic. For a few seconds, the rooms are soundtracked with a chorus of bells – on the hour, every hour – as you assume they have been for centuries.
But this daily performance isn’t as effortless as it may seem. Behind the scenes, Eastnor’s motley crew of antique clocks need winding, adjusting and, occasionally, repairing. And for the past 20 years, that work has been carried out by clock winder and restoration specialist Chris Powell.
Chris’s first encounter with Eastnor was as a performer, singing here as a child in a choir. Years later, returning to the castle in a very different role, it still felt striking – but also familiar.
‘Eastnor is designed to impress,’ he says. ‘You feel that straight away.’
We spoke to Chris about the art of winding Eastnor’s clocks, the realities of maintaining so many historic objects and the quiet satisfaction of keeping everything ticking as it should.
How did you become Eastnor Castle’s clock winder?
My workshop is on the estate, so I come past every day anyway. Around 2012, castle owner James Hervey-Bathurst wanted someone to look after them properly. There wasn’t anyone doing it regularly, so the clocks often would stop. James likes to have all the clocks running, and when he put out a call for volunteers, it just made sense for me to offer. I’ve maintained the clocks here ever since.
Clock restoration is your main profession – how did you get into it?
I’ve always worked with clocks. That’s what I went into straight from school, working only with antique clocks and focusing on restoration rather than straightforward repair. I trained at West Dean College in Sussex, specialising in 17th- and 18th-century domestic clocks. At the time, not many young people were going into the craft, so they were keen to take someone on.
What does restoration involve, exactly?
It’s about putting clocks back to how they were originally made. Over time, parts get lost or damaged, or clocks are modified – particularly in the 19th century, when people thought they were improving them. But the value of a clock is in originality. I make replacement parts using traditional materials and techniques, finishing them so they’re indistinguishable from the originals. In theory, you shouldn’t be able to tell what’s old and what isn’t.
How often do you come to Eastnor, and what’s your routine when you’re here?
I come once a week and follow the same route every time. I start in the offices, then move past James’s study, winding the clocks as I go. There are about 25 clocks in the castle itself, and around 30 that I wind in total. Clocks often get moved for events, so part of my job is setting them back up again if they’ve been disturbed. If something needs adjusting or light maintenance, I’ll do that as I go. Bigger repairs mean taking things away.
How can you tell if a clock is running well?
You can usually tell by listening. A healthy tick is consistent. If it starts getting louder and softer, that can indicate a lack of power getting through the mechanism. Timekeeping tells you a lot too. I try to keep them accurate to within about five minutes a week. Seasons make a difference, as does whether the castle is heated. Temperature affects pendulums and oils, so that all plays a part.
Things do occasionally get damaged during events – enthusiastic dancing has knocked a clock or two in the past – but I am used to handling fragile objects as I work with them all the time. What makes me more conscious, actually, is walking across carpets in the castle that date back to the early 19th century.
Do you have a favourite clock at Eastnor?
People often say clocks have personalities. I don’t quite see it that way, but they are all very different. Different ages, different mechanisms, different behaviours. Some you like simply because they never give any trouble.
If I had to choose a favourite, it would be a very modest little clock on the private side of the castle. It came from the old railway signal box in Eastnor, though I’m not quite sure how it ended up here. It was troublesome for a long time, but it’s finally sorted and running very well. There’s something very satisfying about that. I also like the very decorative clock in the hallway. It’s quite over the top, but I do enjoy it.