Home | Showcase | About Me | Contact

St Mark's Church Wyke (Guildford Surrey)

The church decided in 2006 to make some major improvements to the "back of" the church. By 2009  the necessary deliberations  had been completed !  I had been  asked to make:

1) A bookcase using the timber from pews that were to be removed.

2) A lockable cupboard , principally to house the public address (pa) system .

3) A casing to house, protect  and show off the church clock.

In reverse order.....

Click on each photo for a larger image

Above and below the clock case as was.

The clock mechanism is about 4' from the ground, sits on large  pieces of steel set into, and  located on,  the western (back) wall of the church. The hands of the clock above and within the tower are thence driven by rods and bevel gears.

The photos above do not give a clear idea of where the clock is within the church  but all will be come clear . Sufficient to say ;  the large panels of untreated chipboard and sound deadening (because previous members of the congregation found the noise of the ticking clock too loud - they must have had exceptional hearing) had been in position for many years.

Below
The new clock case within  a much revitalised church. It will not be apparent  but both the organ and the font have been relocated. The clock now stands alone .  Previously the weights (driving the clock and chime) had been located on the  northern side (to the right of the picture) . They now descend within the casing to the immediate left of the clock case.

Because of the weights casing and the need for the clock and chime winding handle (one handle two separate winding operations)  to each be allowed a clear "swing", the clock casing doors have been designed and made to swing out and to the right of the casing thus clearing the swing of the handle.

Below left

Everything is in oak and finished in "brushed French Polish". The brass butt hinges support the frames and  3x "cut locks"  (i.e. locks that are set within a frame, as distinct from straight locks that are simply screwed on to the back of the frame) ensure that the Bi Fold doors are held shut.  Note the brass escutcheons set into the door frame. Glass is 4mm  toughened.

Above right

The clock mechanism was  fully refurbished by the very company that made it ! For those who follow these things; the right hand side of the mechanism is the clock, the left hand side the chime.  Setting the time at the clock is a an approximate process,  and he  exact position of the hands can only be ascertained by  periodically running outside to gaze up at the tower! The new weights cables can be  clearly seen going down and to the left.

Below

The new casing  within the newly refurbished rear of the church.

Photos below left and right

The lockable cupboard is nothing special except that the colouring  had to closely match that of the surrounding pews. See the Oak Bookcase for more details.

Similarly the colour of the bookcase had to match.  The top, bottom  and shelves of the bookcase were  made using the seats of three pews that formerly stood in this area. A good idea at the time, the hidden and remaining  pieces  of clout nails that held the pews together did take a few lumps out of my planer blades!

It is not obvious but, the frame   of the bookcase  is made from oak veneered mdf.   If you look very closely you will see that the frame has  inset steel strips to facilitate adjusting of shelf height, as used on other shelving units e.g. Oak Bookcase  . The top of the bookcase is on a piano hinge and lifts up to provide more storage beneath it.

The ends and  top rails of the pews (much repaired) were used to disguise the " new build" and to suggest that bookcase and cupboard have been in position for ever.

Back to showcase