Older Than Big Ben? India’s 171-Year-Old Clock Set to Chime Again
A remarkable discovery in southern India is rewriting a small but fascinating chapter of clockmaking history and it involves a timepiece that is actually older than London’s Big Ben.
High above the streets of Palayamkottai in Tamil Nadu, inside the bell tower of the historic Holy Trinity Cathedral, experts recently uncovered something extraordinary. The cathedral’s tower clock, long silent in its chime, was found to have been manufactured in 1854 and installed in 1855. That makes it older than the Great Bell at the Palace of Westminster in London, widely known as Big Ben, which was installed in 1859.
This discovery came during a routine inspection. Antique clock collector Robert Kennedy and master clocksmith Nagaraj were invited by church authorities to examine why the cathedral’s clock had stopped chiming, even though it still kept time. When they climbed the tower and studied the mechanism, they found the engraved year 1854 and confirmed it was made by John Moore & Sons of Clerkenwell, a respected London clockmaker of the 19th century.
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The cathedral itself dates back to 1826 and recently marked its bicentenary, so the clock adds another layer of historical importance to the site. For years, the bell had fallen silent due to a technical fault in the chiming mechanism. After several failed repair attempts, church officials even considered replacing the original system with a modern battery-operated unit.
But that idea was strongly opposed. Experts argued that replacing a handcrafted, mechanical tower clock with an electronic substitute would mean losing a piece of living history. These clocks were custom-built and any damaged components now must be painstakingly recreated by hand. The restoration will involve precision engineering, traditional tools and a deep understanding of 19th-century craftsmanship.
What makes this story even more significant is the possibility that this could be one of the oldest tower clocks in India still in existence. If confirmed, it would highlight the need for better documentation and preservation of heritage structures across the region.
And so the focus now shifts to restoration. The goal is simple but powerful, to make the bell chime again. When it does, its sound will not just mark the passing of time, it will echo nearly two centuries of history.
This is more than a repair job. It is about protecting heritage, respecting craftsmanship and ensuring that history is not quietly replaced by convenience.
Stay with us for updates as this 171-year-old clock prepares to speak again and continue watching as we bring you stories that connect the past to the present.
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