Time Still Flies at the Guildhall

Published on: 16 Apr, 2012
Updated on: 28 Apr, 2012

Despite being partially obscured by scaffolding, the symbol of Guildford, the famous Guildhall clock, is still not telling the right time since an electric autowind system was installed.

A source tells The Guildford Dragon that it is running as much as five minutes fast a day, and that every few days its hands have to be manually reset.

On Monday afternoon, April 16, the Guildhall clock was running some 20 minutes fast.

This afternoon, Monday, April 16, the clock was about 20 minutes fast. So, if you are in the High Street, don’t mark you time by the old clock – well, not at the moment anyway.

A notice on a window beside the door of the Guildhall explains the situation. It reads: “The Guildhall clock is not running to time at present, probably due to work on installation of an autowind system. The clock is over 300yrs old and needs careful adjustment of weights to correct the problem. This will take some weeks to get right. In the meantime we apologise that the time may not always be correct.

Notice on the Guildhall explaining the situation with the clock.

It is probably the first time in its history that the clock has not run to time. However, it was stopped for some four years between 1940 and 1945 when it was removed for safekeeping during the Second World War. A temporary electric clock was installed on the side of Guildhall until the old clock was put back in its rightful place overhanging the High Street.

Click here to read the story we ran a few weeks ago on the clock’s new autowind system and some of the secrets found in the roof space of the Guildhall.