The latest stage of a regeneration project in Maryport is turning back time – and that means the clock is now ticking for the reopening of one of the town’s most famous landmarks.
The clock in the spire of Christ Church, the historic landmark on the harbourside, has been restored and reinstalled as part of the building’s £1.8 million restoration.
The four clock faces – including one which has been missing from public view for many years – are now back, while behind the scenes the clock mechanism is back in working order, with a new automatic timekeeping regulator installed.
This means the time won’t have to be manually altered when the hour jumps forward or back in the spring and autumn due to daylight saving changes.
Cumberland Council is in the process of restoring Grade II-listed Christ Church ahead of reopening it to the public as Maryport’s new maritime museum.
It was made possible by the Government’s Future High Streets Fund and the venue is due to reopen this year.
The clock has been restored by the Cumbria Clock Company in Penrith. The expert teams there have worked on some of the most famous clocks in the world, including the one in Elizabeth Tower, often erroneously called Big Ben, as well as Liverpool’s Royal Liver Building and Manchester Town Hall.
The original Christ Church clock was donated by Maryport-born Thomas Henry Ismay, founder of the White Star Line which went on to operate the Titanic.
The building, which dates back to 1872 and has featured in paintings by the likes of LS Lowry, had sat empty for a number of years.
The council bought it in 2020 with the intention of restoring it and bringing it back into public use.
Leader of Cumberland Council Mark Fryer said: “This clock has guided sailors and townspeople alike for more than 150 years and it is fantastic that it is back in proper working order.
“It is also great that we had the expertise in the county to take on the repairs. Thank you to the Cumbria Clock Company for getting this piece of Maryport’s history ticking again and reinstalling it as a valuable timepiece for all.”
