During the eighteenth century, hook-and-spike wall clocks provided a practical and relatively inexpensive alternative to both the traditional brass lantern clock and the fully cased thirty-hour longcase clock. Essentially, these clocks possessed a compact thirty-hour movement but required no wooden case. Instead, an iron hoop and projecting spikes at the rear allowed them to be hung securely from a convenient wall hook, much as lantern clocks had been for generations.

​

For an owner of modest means, this arrangement offered considerable flexibility. The clock could be purchased and used immediately as a wall clock, avoiding the additional expense of a longcase. If circumstances later permitted, the same movement could potentially be incorporated into a wooden case. This combination of simplicity, practicality and affordability helps explain the appeal of hook-and-spike clocks as a form of provincial domestic timekeeper during the eighteenth century.

​

The exceptionally rare surviving examples illustrated below provide a fascinating glimpse into this distinctive tradition of early English clockmaking. Each clock can be explored through its own fully illustrated article, revealing the individual craftsmanship and often unusual constructional features of the provincial makers who produced them. Further examples of these remarkable early wall clocks, together with additional research and historical information, will be added as this section of the website continues to develop.