LOCAL INTEREST
Some items, around and about in the area covered by James Hughes Clocks, that you may find interesting.

Richard of Wallingford (1292-1336) mathematician and horologist, studied at Oxford, became Abbot of St Albans. He designed an astronomical clock, which was built some time after his death and was kept at St Albans. A reconstruction of the clock can be seen in St Albans Cathedral.

Carfax Tower, Oxford. The 12th Century (c 1122) Carfax Tower was once part of St Martin's church. The church was demolished in 1896 and its congregation moved to All Saints Church in the High St. The six bells, recast from the originals in 1676, chime every quarter hour, with visual effect added by the 'quarter boys'. The name Carfax derives from the French for crossroads/four-face (carrefour/quatre-face) or Latin for four forked (quadrifurcus).

West Wycombe St Lawrence's church (the 'church with the golden ball') today and a Victorian view with The Pedestal in its original location.
West Wycombe village has been home to the Dashwood family since the 17th Century, with the Royal Arts Society taking ownership of most of the village in 1929, passing it on to the National Trust in 1934. Much of the village dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries, with external appearance alterations of some buildings in the 18th century. The church tower is 14th century, with the golden ball added in the 1750s by Sir Francis Dashwood. Sir Francis had a new road built from High Wycombe to West Wycombe, the excavations for the chalk used creating the caves in the hill. These caves are now called the Hell-Fire caves after the Hellfire club of Sir Francis and a number of other politicians/gentry (including Lord Sandwich, who gave his name to the convenience food he consumed at club meetings).

The Market House at Princes Risborough, the sundial on the causeway at Marlow and Thame Town Hall.

The Market House at Princes Risborough was originally timber framed, built in the 17th/18th century. It was rebuilt to its current form in 1824 and underwent a major refurbishment in 1994.

The inscriptions on the sundial in Marlow translate as: 'ne quid pereat' - 'let no time be wasted' and 'horas non numero nisi serenas' - 'time has no number or certainty'

The Jacobean style Thame Town Hall was built in 1888.