WORK has begun to complete the renovation of a centuries-old church clock.

Although St. Nicholas’ Church in Harwich was built in 1822, the clock predates this time.

Anna Rendell-Knights, acting chairman of the District Council of St Nicholas, decided to take matters into her own hands with others at the church

She said: “The clock stopped working about four years ago. Four of us decided we would raise the money.

“We had to raise £9,000 which we have raised.

“The actual clock company has started the work.

“In the church, there’s three clock faces – they all have to be renovated and put together again.

Anna added: “The clock is regularly checked by clockmakers.

“Last time they checked it, they said there was a lot of renovations needed to be done to the hands, then the clock stopped anyway.

“They set it going so it’s chiming. Not chiming on the hour, it hasn’t got anything to check it.

Last week two steeplejacks removed the hands from the clock so they could be renovated.

Ann added: “I was able to say to the clockmakers we’ve got the money can you come and start. They now have.

“Once all the hands and mechanical works have been completed, they will come back and put the hands on. Then, the clock will go normally.

“In the meantime, you can’t tell what the time is, but can hear the clock because it’s ringing.

“We hope possibly in a few weeks, we will have the clock completed and be able to see it as well as hear it.”

In June last year, St Nicholas marked the 200th anniversary of its consecration.

While built on the site of an older church, the current building cost approximately £20,000, is made of London brick and coade stone in a simple Gothic style.

To mark the anniversary, there was a special short thanksgiving service, which included cake cutting and a peal of bells.

This was followed by a traditional parish fete on St Nicholas’ grounds just a few days later.