> From: PDML [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Chris Mitchell > > A friend of mine is the Keeper of the Clock in the church at Cropredy > in Oxfordshire (a place well known to Cotty). He invited me to join him > the other day when he went up the tower to do some maintenance work. > > Here's the clock mechanism: > http://www.mitch.myzen.co.uk/CropredyClock1/slides/_IMG3406-2.html > > And here's a close-up > http://www.mitch.myzen.co.uk/CropredyClock1/slides/_IMG3398-2.html > > I thought the B&W treatment was right for the subject; there are colour > versions in the gallery if you're interested. >
That's fantastically Gormenghastian. All that mechanism for one tiny clock face that doesn't even have a minute hand. I picture your friend as Mr. Flay, dry, lanky, with sunken eyes, slowing climbing with his long fingers clutching the rope bannister of the bell tower to the sound of cracking knee joints, barely able to turn the great mechanism, but driven by 16 generations of family service to get the ancient clock dusted, greased and wound until at last he throws himself suddenly away from the straining cogs as they release their tension and the colossal bell sounds a single mighty clang that reverbates over the nearby valleys and meadows. The peasants look up from their labours; the huntsmen briefly pause in their yarooing flight; the photographers mutter a silent curse as the sound wave disturbs their tripod, and Cropredy sinks once more into its autumn slumber, forgetful of the world, by whom it is forgotten*. B *phrase shamelessly stolen from Gibbon. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
