Breakthrough: who made Cuckfield’s 1667 church clock
- 23 hours ago
- 5 min read
We are pleased to announce a breakthrough by Kye Leaver of the Antiquarian Horological Society’s Turret Clock Group in re-attributing the manufacture of Cuckfield's C17th church clock.
For more than a century, a small but persistent story attached itself to Cuckfield’s Holy Trinity Church: that its 17th century turret clock had been made by village blacksmith, Isaac Leney, in 1667. It was an appealing idea - rooted in local pride, and seemingly supported by the initials ‘I L’ found on the old mechanism. Yet, like many such traditions, it rested on assumption rather than firm evidence.
The clock itself had an impressive life. Installed in 1667, it served the parish faithfully for over two centuries before finally being taken down in 1873, having stopped, rather dramatically, while striking eleven. For years it remained as a historical item - a tangible reminder of the parish’s long continuity. By 1883, a new clock by James W. Benson of London, installed by Gillett and Bland of Croydon, had taken over its duties, striking the hours on a 14th century bell.
the cause of the confusion
The attribution to Isaac Leney of the earlier clock appears to have gained traction in the 19th century and was repeated in print as late as 1904 in the Mid Sussex Times. There, the clock was described as having been ‘made and directed in the year 1667 by Isaac, probably of Cuckfield’.
On one of the blades of the fan, cut out as in a stencil plate the initials ‘I L’ seemed to support the claim. The other fan blade shows the date of 1667 also pierced into the metal. But this was never supported by documentary evidence and doubts lingered.
Writing in 1956 in Antiquarian Horology, AJ Nixseaman expressed scepticism, noting that the Leney family was not more widely known for turret clock making. The Reverend Nixseaman, who was vicar of Intwood parish, near Norwich, at the time of his article observed ‘ …there are hardly half-a-dozen turret clocks remaining in England, belonging to the 17th century, which have their dates recorded upon them together with an indication of their makers’ names.’
The resolution of this long-standing misattribution has come only in recent years, through the diligent work of Kye Leaver of the Antiquarian Horological Society’s Turret Clock Group. He knows Cuckfield’s Holy Trinity church tower as he is a keen bellringer and has documented the technical details of the ‘Waterloo Bells’ housed in the belfry in his authoritative and comprehensive website ‘Bells of Sussex’ at www.thebellsofsussex.co.uk.
Cuckfield’s belfry details: www.thebellsofsussex.co.uk/cuckfield-holy-trinity.html
By combining documentary research with close physical comparison of surviving clocks, Leaver has been able to identify the true maker: James Looker, a blacksmith of Ditchling.
A key piece of the puzzle lies in the interpretation of those initials. What had been read as ‘I L’ can equally be understood as ‘J L’, reflecting the common 17th century practice of rendering the letter ‘J’ in a form resembling ‘I’. Once this possibility is recognised, the inscription aligns perfectly with the name James Looker.
documentary evidence
More decisive still is the documentary evidence. Kye spent much time delving through early church records including those at the West Sussex Records Office to pin down the maker.
In the Churchwardens’ accounts at St Thomas à Becket, Lewes, there is a record a payment in 1670: ‘Pd to James Looker fore be maykinge of a newe clock and to be desently hunge upp in the tower’ at a cost of £5 10s - a substantial sum at the time (c£650 today). Further entries show Looker being paid over subsequent years to maintain the clock, suggesting not only authorship but an ongoing professional relationship.
The connection does not end there. Kai diligently found a similar entry that appears in Cuckfield’s own churchwardens’ accounts, preserved at the West Sussex Record Office: on 29 May 1671, payment of five shillings was made (about £30 in present day terms) ‘to James Looker for chiming of ye clock’. This places Looker directly in connection with the Cuckfield clock just a few years before, manufacture.
an even earlier clock
Kye observed that this also shows that there was another clock before the Looker one. Since the 1667 clock has similarities with the 1670 one in Lewes - we can safely say that the older one was replaced by James and not just repaired with a new vane. He no doubt reported issues with the Cuckfield clock that led to awarding a contract to James for a replacement.
Physical evidence reinforces the documentary trail. The clocks at Cuckfield, Lewes and St Margaret’s Church, West Hoathly share distinctive features - particularly the identical finials and moulded decoration at the tops of their corner posts. Such details strongly suggest a single maker or workshop. Taken together, the stylistic similarities and archival records form a coherent and compelling case.
Thus, the long-accepted story of Isaac Leney quietly gives way to a more substantiated account. Rather than being a local craftsman of Cuckfield, the maker emerges as James Looker of nearby Ditchling - a blacksmith whose family are well featured in church records. Their village blacksmith’s shop's output can now be traced across several Sussex parishes.
It's fitting that the research into the maker's identity has also found a link to two other Sussex parish churches and added to the central records painstakingly built by the AHS of turret clocks to be found in the UK. Perhaps in future other early Ditchling 'Looker' clocks will be identified. Meanwhile we must be very grateful for Kye's expert input and for the diligence in his research.
the future
Today, the 1667 clock survives as a historical artefact rather than a working timepiece. The clock is not easily seen by the casual visitor, as few have the opportunity to visit the foot of the tower and see it mounted high on the north wall. There are a few parts missing from the frame and the cogs will not have moved for over 150 years.
With its maker now properly identified, this is perhaps a suitable opportunity to consider its future. Cuckfield’s is the oldest turret clock in the county. Perhaps re-siting it for the benefit of visitors - and even returning movement and sound to a mechanism that once regulated the daily life of the parish, might be a rewarding and responsible project to undertake. See below what they achieved in Lewes. Such a project would not merely preserve this historically important asset, but reconnect Cuckfield with a newly rediscovered aspect of its own past and address any detereoration that has occurred.
St Thomas à Becket church
A video of their restored 1670 turret clock in action - make sure you wait until 1 min 16seccs to hear it strike:
This was the source of the new knowledge - the turret clock of St Thomas à Becket church, Cliffe High Street, Lewes. This clock was made three years after Cuckfield’s and restored in 2016 with safe access for the public created. If you would like to visit it book a guided tower tour. The 45-minute tours cost £5. This includes a climb of 57 spiral stone steps to see the clock mechanism in action and hear it strike 12 noon. Tickets are available from Lewes Tourist Information Centre, 6 High Street, Lewes BN7 2AD. Phone 01273 085666.
Contributed by Malcolm Davison.
Visit Cuckfield Museum, follow the link for details https://cuckfieldmuseum.org.
St Thomas à Becket’s church clock in action
Comments