Historic town hall clock could chime again after six years

Amelia Jones

A Welsh market town is launching a crowd funding campaign to make their town hall clock chime again.

The clock tower at Abergavenny Town Hall has been a landmark in the town centre for more than 150 years, but its bells stopped ringing around six years ago after parts of the mechanism fell into disrepair. In order to keep the clock itself running, the chiming mechanism had to be switched off.

The town hall was built between 1869 and 1871 and remains a Grade II listed building in the heart of Abergavenny. The tower clock, made by Gilbert and Bland of Croydon, was presented to the town by local industrialist Crawshay Bailey when the building was completed. For generations, its hourly chimes have been a familiar sound across the market town.

Local organisers say the clock can no longer be fixed through minor repairs and will instead require a complete overhaul. Specialists have advised that the entire mechanism must be carefully dismantled before any restoration work can begin.

The restoration process will involve taking the clock apart piece by piece, cleaning and assessing each component, and then reassembling the mechanism before any damaged parts can be repaired or replaced. Only once this process is complete will the clock be able to chime again.

The project is about more than simply restoring a clock. For many residents, the hourly chimes were once part of everyday life and a reminder of the town’s history and identity.

The crowdfunding campaign aims to raise enough money to bring in specialist clock restorers who have experience working on historic public timepieces. Organisers hope the project will bring the community together while preserving an important local landmark.

Residents and businesses are now being encouraged to contribute to the fundraising effort, with organisers hopeful that the community will rally together to help restore the sound that once echoed through the market town’s streets.

You can view the crowdfunding page here.