Peter Bower, Redlench (sic)

Peter Bower, Redlench

Peter Bower was born In Downton in 1715 and was married in St Martin’s in 1739, and at that time he was a blacksmith. Seven children were baptised in Downton parish church. Peter was buried on the 5th July 1795 at Hindon. He became a very prolific maker of thirty hour clocks, and a couple of original eight day clocks have been recorded (Wiltshire Clocks has had one of them). It is said that he advertised his trade by hanging dials in trees around his house.

This clock is in a stylistically typical slender oak case , only 78″ (1.98m) tall., with a narrow slender trunk door. The Bower cases, characteristic of the Redlynch area, are to my mind some of the best proportioned cases to have ever been made. The 10″ brass dial is what makes this clock out of the ordinary, because in the centre is an alarm disc – not unheard of, but unusual particularly for a Bower. The movement is of the birdcage type with 30 hour duration striking the hours on a large bell, and incorporates the alarm mechanism powered by a second, smaller weight. It also exhibits another typical Bower feature – the face, described by some as that of a hedgehog, filed on the bell spring stop.

Price £3950