Thomas Browne in Bristoll, c1650

signed lantern clock by Thomas Browne of Bristol, c.1650. The attribution of other surviving clocks associated with Thomas Browne’s mature workshop is founded upon comparison with this unique signed example.

The only known,

circa 1650

Thomas Browne in

Bristoll

Thomas Browne's Only Known

Signed Lantern Clock and the

Origins of the Bristol School

Research for this revised website edition has been based principally upon the pioneering work of Sir George White, together with the published research of Brian Loomes, A. J. Moore, W. F. Bruce, Dr John Robey and my own earlier studies. Particular acknowledgement must be given to Sir George White, who travelled to Washington specifically to examine this signed Thomas Browne clock when it was in the collection of the late Norman Langmaid. The clock provided the crucial evidence that enabled him to establish the Bristol origin of a wider group of related anonymous lantern clocks that he had been studying for many years, and from this and his subsequent research he coined the description “the Bristol school of lantern clockmaking”. He illustrated the signed clock as Fig. V/22 on page 223 of his landmark book English Lantern Clocks (1989) and published his research into Thomas Browne and the early Bristol makers on pp. 222–226. More recent archival discoveries by Professor Jonathan Barry, based upon examination of the original Bristol civic records, have provided important new evidence concerning James Browne, Thomas Browne and the early Browne family workshop, enabling the story to be further refined in the light of new primary source material.

Editor’s Note - Updated August 2026

Following publication of my article on Thomas Browne’s only known signed lantern clock in the June 2026 edition of Antiquarian Horology, two important developments have enabled the history of this remarkable clock and the Browne family workshop to be presented more fully.

Professor Jonathan Barry, historian of early modern Bristol and co-editor of the Bristol Record Society, kindly contacted me with new evidence from his examination of the original Bristol civic records. His research has clarified several aspects of the Browne family’s history and suggests that the earliest Civil War lantern clock previously attributed to Thomas Browne was most likely produced within the workshop of his father, James Browne, while Thomas was serving his apprenticeship there.

I am also particularly grateful to Sir George White for correcting an error in my original Antiquarian Horology article concerning the earlier publication history of the signed clock. Sir George had in fact travelled to Washington specifically to examine the clock when it was in the collection of the late Norman Langmaid. He recognised it as the key to establishing the origin of a group of anonymous clocks with related dial plates, engraved decoration, frames and other distinctive features that he had been studying for many years. The signed clock enabled Sir George to establish the Bristol origin of the group and, from this and his subsequent research, to coin the description “the Bristol school of lantern clockmaking”. The signed Thomas Browne clock was illustrated in his book English Lantern Clocks (1989), Fig. V/22, p. 223, alongside his pioneering research into Thomas Browne and the early Bristol makers.

I sincerely regret having overlooked this important earlier publication history in my original article and am grateful to Sir George for bringing the matter to my attention and enabling the record to be corrected. His first-hand account has also added a fascinating new chapter to the known provenance and historical significance of the clock.

These developments do not alter the importance of the signed Thomas Browne clock. Rather, taken together, the research of Sir George White and the more recent archival discoveries of Professor Jonathan Barry provide a considerably richer understanding of Thomas Browne, the Browne family workshop and the origins of the Bristol School.

The signed Thomas Browne lantern clock. Photograph courtesy of Darrell Dipper

Among the surviving provincial lantern clocks of seventeenth-century England, few examples can rival the historical importance of the remarkable clock illustrated here. Signed by Thomas Browne of Bristol, it is the only surviving lantern clock known to bear his name and is therefore the defining example of his work. Its significance extends far beyond its rarity. As the only securely signed lantern clock by Browne, it provides the essential benchmark against which every other clock attributed to his workshop can be judged. Without this unique survivor, many of those attributions would inevitably remain open to question.¹²³

The clock is equally important in the wider history of English clockmaking. During the middle decades of the seventeenth century, Bristol was emerging as one of England’s earliest provincial centres of domestic clock production, developing a distinctive style separate from that of London. It was Sir George White who first recognised the significance of this signed clock as the key to a wider group of related Bristol lantern clocks and, through his pioneering research, established what he termed the “Bristol school of lantern clockmaking”. Thomas Browne remains one of the principal makers associated with the development of that tradition, while recent archival research now suggests that its origins may extend back to the workshop of his father, James Browne.¹²⁵¹⁰

Only a small number of lantern clocks are now attributed to Browne, the great majority being unsigned. By preserving his signature together with the characteristic features of his workmanship, the present clock provides the secure point of reference from which Browne’s surviving output can be understood. It is not simply his only known signed lantern clock; it is the essential benchmark upon which the study and attribution of Browne’s surviving work rests.²⁵⁷

Recent archival research has, however, added an important new dimension to this story. While the signed clock remains unquestionably the work of Thomas Browne, evidence from the original Bristol civic records now suggests that the earliest Civil War lantern clock previously attributed to him was more probably produced within the Browne family workshop by his father, James Browne, during the years in which Thomas was serving his apprenticeship. Far from diminishing the importance of the signed clock, these discoveries strengthen its position as the essential benchmark from which the evolution of the Browne family workshop and the early Bristol School can now be more fully understood.

Thomas Browne of Bristol

Thomas Browne was the son of James Browne, a Bristol blacksmith, and the surviving civic records now show that his early training took place within the family workshop. Recent research by Professor Jonathan Barry, based upon the original Bristol civic records, has shown that Thomas was apprenticed to his father, James Browne, and his wife Elizabeth on 12 October 1637 as a smith. Rather than completing a conventional apprenticeship and taking his freedom in that capacity, Thomas was admitted to the Freedom of the City of Bristol by patrimony in November 1643, describing himself as a watchmaker. These important discoveries provide a valuable new understanding of Thomas Browne’s early career and the origins of one of Bristol’s earliest clockmaking families.

Although relatively few documentary records have survived, they nevertheless provide valuable glimpses into Browne’s working life. By 1655 he is recorded as occupying premises in Corn Street, Bristol, where he continued to work for many years. He is again recorded there in 1662, 1668 and 1670, demonstrating that his workshop remained established in one of Bristol’s principal commercial streets throughout much of his career.

Millerd's Map of Bristol

Made in 1673

Above. Millerd’s Map of Bristol, 1673, showing the walled city. Thomas Browne is recorded as living and working in Corn Street, shown on the contemporary map as ‘Corne Street’. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Below. Close-up detail from Millerd’s Map of Bristol, 1673, showing ‘Corne Street’, where Thomas Browne is recorded in 1655, 1662, 1668 and 1670. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Professor Barry’s research has also clarified several points that were previously misunderstood. The apprenticeship dated 23 December 1641, formerly believed to relate to Thomas Browne, has now been shown to record the apprenticeship of John Browne, Thomas’s brother, to their father James Browne as a blacksmith. This correction removes what had long appeared to be an anomaly, since Thomas himself could not have taken civic apprentices before becoming a freeman in 1643.

Further evidence has also refined our understanding of Browne’s own family. His daughter Sarah Browne, who later married William Smith, a watchmaker of Corston, appears from the surviving marriage licence to have been born around 1649–50, rather than 1647 as previously believed. His son James Browne, although no apprenticeship record has survived, was admitted to the Freedom of Bristol as both the son and apprentice of Thomas Browne in 1679, suggesting that he had almost certainly served his apprenticeship within his father’s workshop during the years for which the apprenticeship records are incomplete.

Thomas Browne’s final recorded apprentice was Jeremiah Newbrough, who was apprenticed to Thomas and his wife Sarah in August 1680. This important record demonstrates that Browne’s workshop was still active only a short time before his death later that year.

Stylistic evidence suggests that the surviving lantern clocks associated with Thomas Browne’s workshop belong principally to the period before about 1660, placing the remarkable signed clock illustrated here amongst the earliest and most important surviving products of his mature career. At the same time, Professor Barry’s research now suggests that the earliest Civil War lantern clock previously attributed to Thomas Browne was most likely produced within the Browne family workshop by his father, James, while Thomas was still serving his apprenticeship. Seen together, these discoveries provide a far richer understanding of the evolution of Bristol’s earliest identifiable school of lantern clockmaking.

Historical Context

It is interesting to note that Thomas Browne was admitted to the freedom of the City of Bristol in November 1643, only a few months after one of the most dramatic events of the English Civil War—the Storming of Bristol on 26 July 1643. During the assault, Prince Rupert’s Royalist army captured the city from the Parliamentarian garrison after fierce fighting that resulted in heavy casualties on both sides. At the time, Bristol was England’s second city and one of the country’s most important west-coast ports, making it a prize of considerable strategic importance to both Royalists and Parliamentarians.

Browne’s admission as a freeman therefore came at a time when Bristol was recovering from the immediate aftermath of siege, bombardment and military occupation. Although there is no evidence that Browne himself was directly involved in these events, the political upheaval, military occupation and disruption to daily life would have formed the turbulent background against which the Browne family lived and worked. His emergence as an independent clockmaker during this turbulent period, following his apprenticeship within his father’s workshop, makes the survival of his signed lantern clock all the more remarkable. Recent archival research suggests that Thomas Browne’s early years as a craftsman were spent working alongside his father, James Browne, during the difficult years leading up to and immediately following the outbreak of the English Civil War.

The Storming of Bristol

26th of July 1643

Click image below to see historical paintings of 'The Storming of Bristol'

The Storming of Bristol. Alamy.com

The Signed Clock

The clock illustrated here is unique. It remains the only surviving lantern clock known to carry the signature of Thomas Browne of Bristol.¹²³

The clock also possesses a fascinating modern research history. When Sir George White travelled to Washington to examine it in the collection of the late Norman Langmaid, Langmaid was considering rebuilding the clock into what he regarded as a more saleable form and was reluctant to allow detailed photographs to be taken. Sir George attempted to persuade him to preserve the clock, and its survival today in the remarkably complete form illustrated here suggests that his intervention may have been more successful than he realised. Dr Richard Mones subsequently obtained the black-and-white photograph that enabled Sir George to illustrate the clock in English Lantern Clocks in 1989.¹

Its importance cannot be overstated. In the world of seventeenth-century provincial clockmaking, securely signed lantern clocks are exceptionally uncommon, and no other signed example by Browne is currently known. This single inscription transforms the clock from an outstanding period survivor into the definitive example of Browne’s work and the essential reference point for identifying every other lantern clock attributed to his workshop.¹²³ Equally striking is the quality of the clock itself. Rather than an isolated or experimental provincial production, it is a confident and accomplished piece of craftsmanship, reflecting the work of a maker whose individual style was already well established. The proportions are particularly elegant, with a well-balanced frame and refined overall appearance, while the engraving displays a fluency and assurance that immediately distinguishes it from more routine contemporary work.¹²³ Comparison with the other lantern clocks attributed to Browne suggests a date of around 1650, perhaps slightly earlier, placing it firmly within the middle decades of the seventeenth century when Bristol was beginning to establish its own distinctive identity as a provincial centre of clockmaking.¹²³

Showing a side view of Thomas Browne's only known signed lantern clock. The top and bottom plates are slotted into the integral pillars, with finials and acorn feet. Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

The most compelling feature of the clock is, without question, the boldly engraved signature on the front fret: “Thomas Browne in Bristoll.” ³

The spelling is entirely characteristic of the period, but it is the position of the inscription that is especially revealing. Rather than placing his name discreetly within the dial, Browne engraved it prominently across the front fret where it forms an integral part of the clock’s appearance. It is an unusually confident declaration of authorship, suggesting considerable pride in both his workmanship and his reputation.³

For collectors and historians alike, that signature is of immense importance. It provides the one secure link between documentary records and the surviving clocks attributed to Browne, allowing characteristic features of construction, engraving and design to be recognised across the wider group. Every attributed Browne lantern clock ultimately derives its credibility from comparison with this remarkable survivor.¹²⁵⁷

The front fret with the signature ‘Thomas Browne in Bristoll’. Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

The copper dial

The copper dial is one of the most distinctive and attractive features of the clock and immediately sets it apart from many contemporary provincial lantern clocks. Its warm colour, together with the restrained elegance of the engraving, gives the clock a character that is unmistakably its own and has become closely associated with Thomas Browne’s workshop.¹² A narrow brass chapter ring carries Roman numerals with delicate floating star half-hour markers, surrounding an engraved copper centre decorated with flowing garlands and Tudor roses. Beneath XII appears a small but wonderfully expressive whimsical mask, one of the most charming details on the entire clock.¹²⁷ Although easily overlooked, this little mask is one of the recurring decorative features found amongst clocks associated with the Browne workshop. It appears on a number of lantern clocks attributed to his workshop and provides an important point of comparison when considering unsigned examples. Together with the distinctive engraving, chapter ring and overall layout, it forms part of the recognisable artistic vocabulary that links the surviving Browne clocks into a coherent workshop tradition.¹²⁷

The engraving is confident and accomplished throughout. The garlands are crisply executed, the Tudor roses carefully balanced within the design, and the dial possesses an individuality that lifts it well above the merely decorative. It is immediately apparent that the engraver was both experienced and assured, producing a dial that is elegant without being over-elaborate.¹² The alarm disc and long-tailed iron hand are both original, adding considerably to the importance of the clock as a remarkably complete survivor from the middle of the seventeenth century.¹³

Above. The engraved copper dial centre displaying garlands and Tudor roses with a whimsical mask beneath XII. Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

Below. A close-up of the small mask. This distinctive decorative feature also appears on other clocks associated with the Browne workshop. Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

The frame and pillars

The elegant proportions of the frame immediately reflect the quality of Browne’s workmanship. The castings are clean and well finished, the construction is precise, and the clock possesses a pleasing balance that demonstrates the confidence of an experienced maker.¹² The top and bottom plates are slotted into integral corner pillars, with the feet and finials cast as one with the pillars themselves. The side doors also appear to be original, further enhancing the exceptional state of preservation.

The corner pillars are particularly significant in understanding the development of Browne’s workshop. This clock is fitted with square-based integral pillars terminating in acorn feet and finials.¹² When the surviving lantern clocks attributed to Browne are considered together, they appear to fall broadly into two related groups: those with rounded integral pillars and those, like the present clock, with square-based pillars.¹²⁸ This is more than a minor structural variation. It represents an important stage in the evolution of Browne’s workshop and provides valuable evidence for placing individual clocks within his developing output.

The present clock closely resembles Browne’s attributed lantern clock dated 1649, sharing both square-based integral pillars and a copper dial.¹²⁸ Taken together, these features suggest that by about the middle of the seventeenth century Browne had established a settled workshop style that was both distinctive and immediately recognisable.

As the only signed example, this clock provides the secure benchmark against which these structural details can be compared, making it indispensable in understanding the evolution of Browne’s surviving work.¹²

Above. Showing a front view of the signed lantern clock by Thomas Browne of Bristol. Height 15.5 inches. Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

Below. Showing the signed Thomas Browne of Bristol Lantern clock hanging from a wall hook. Photograph courtesy of Darrell Dipper

The movement

The movement is of the classic early lantern clock form, being weight-driven with hour striking on a bell. Built around cruciform front and rear movement bars, it follows established seventeenth-century practice while displaying several features that distinguish Browne’s work from that of many contemporary London makers.¹² One particularly noticeable characteristic is the shape of the movement bars. Their broad, straight arms lack the upturned and downturned terminals so often encountered on London lantern clocks, giving the movement a more restrained appearance that has become recognised as part of the Bristol tradition.²⁵

Closer examination reveals further details that are equally characteristic of Browne’s workshop. The hammer stop is attractively shaped, while the hammer spring is unusually slim and elegantly waisted.¹² The dial and chapter ring are secured to the front movement bar by a long upper lug retained with a taper pin, another recurring feature found on clocks attributed to Browne. Small brass collets remain fitted to the wheel arbors, providing further evidence of the consistency found throughout the surviving group.¹²⁸

Above. Left-hand side of the movement. Photographed by Lee Borrett

Below. Right-hand side of the movement. Photographed by Lee Borrett

Below. Close-up of the decorated hammer stop and slim waisted hammer spring. Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

Like the great majority of pre-pendulum lantern clocks, the movement was converted at an early date from its original balance-controlled verge escapement to anchor escapement. As Dr John Robey has demonstrated in his comprehensive study of lantern clock conversions, such alterations were both common and entirely expected as owners sought to improve timekeeping following the introduction of the pendulum.⁹ During this conversion the train was adapted to Huygens’ endless-rope maintaining power and the original alarm work was removed. These alterations almost certainly took place during the seventeenth century and form part of the clock’s working history rather than representing later restoration.⁹ Importantly, the movement survives in remarkably original condition. Much of its early fabric remains intact, including the wheelwork, tapered arbors and numerous original constructional details, making it an exceptionally important example for the study of early provincial lantern clockmaking.¹

Above. Close-up of the movement with a large brass collet on the later
escapewheel and smaller original brass collets. The chapter ring and dial are
attached to the front movement bar by a long upper lug. Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

Above. Front of the movement with the hour wheel removed. The arms of the movement bars are straight, without up- and down-turned ends. Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

Below. Rear of the movement showing the large number of teeth on the escapewheel of the later anchor escapement. Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

Below. Showing a close-up view of from the other side of the massive brass and iron lantern movement Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

Below. The top plate showing the early conversion to an anchor escapement. Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

Below. A rear view, also showing the early conversion to an anchor escapement. Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

Browne’s developing style

One of the greatest values of the signed clock is the way it allows the surviving lantern clocks associated with the Browne workshop to be viewed as the products of a developing family tradition rather than as isolated examples. When considered together, they reveal a remarkable consistency of design, construction and engraving, while also showing a gradual evolution in workshop practice during the 1640s and early 1650s.¹²⁸¹⁰

Broadly speaking, the surviving clocks display two recurring characteristics: integral corner pillars, either rounded or square-based, and dials made in either brass or copper. Rather than representing unrelated variations, these features appear to illustrate the natural development of the Browne workshop over a relatively short period.¹²⁸

Recent archival research by Professor Jonathan Barry now suggests that the earliest Civil War lantern clock previously attributed to Thomas Browne may instead have originated within the workshop of his father, James Browne, the Bristol blacksmith with whom Thomas served his apprenticeship.¹⁰ If this interpretation is correct, this remarkable brass-dial lantern clock of c.1642, with its rounded integral pillars, may preserve evidence of the Browne family workshop during Thomas’s apprenticeship. The subsequent appearance of copper-dial examples following Thomas’s admission to the Freedom of Bristol in November 1643 provides evidence for the gradual development of the distinctive style later associated with his mature work.

period lantern clock attributed to the workshop of James Browne of Bristol, c.1642, with elegant proportions, rounded integral pillars and a brass dial.

circa 1642

James Browne

A fine Civil War

Above. The early Civil War lantern clock, c.1642, now thought most likely to have originated in the workshop of James Browne of Bristol while his son Thomas was serving his apprenticeship there. Its brass dial and rounded integral corner pillars represent the earliest combination of these distinctive features presently identified within the Browne family workshop. Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

Above. Close-up of the engraved brass dial centre of the c.1642 Civil War lantern clock attributed to the workshop of James Browne. The garlands, Tudor roses and distinctive little mask beneath XII provide important points of comparison with the decorative features subsequently found on clocks associated with Thomas Browne. Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

period lantern clock attributed to Thomas Browne of Bristol, c.1645. The clock has wonderfully elegant proportions with rounded integral pillars and a copper dial.

A fine Civil War

Thomas Browne

circa 1645

Above. Showing a front view of a lantern clock attributed to Thomas Browne of Bristol, c.1645. The clock has wonderfully elegant proportions, with rounded integral pillars and an engraved copper dial. Its date and combination of features place it within the important transitional period following Thomas Browne’s admission to the Freedom of Bristol in 1643, when the distinctive characteristics associated with his mature work appear to have been developing. Private collection, Photographed by David Norris

Below. Showing a close-up of the engraved copper dial centre with garlands and Tudor roses and a whimsical mask beneath XII. These decorative features recur on clocks associated with the Browne workshop and are particularly characteristic of the later work attributed to Thomas Browne. Private collection, Photographed by David Norris

By about 1649, a clock attributed to Thomas Browne combines a copper dial with square-based integral pillars, precisely the same combination found on the present signed clock. Taken together, these surviving clocks suggest not a sudden change in design but the gradual evolution of a family workshop through one of the most turbulent periods in English history. By around 1650 that development appears fully mature, and the present signed clock provides the clearest surviving expression of the distinctive style associated with Thomas Browne himself.¹²³

One intriguing aspect of Thomas Browne’s work is his frequent use of copper dials. Whether this reflected personal preference, the availability of materials, or a deliberate attempt to distinguish Bristol-made clocks from those produced in London remains uncertain. Whatever the reason, the result was the creation of a workshop style that is immediately recognisable today and one that played a significant role in establishing Bristol as one of England’s earliest provincial centres of clockmaking.²⁵ Whether intentional or not, the repeated use of engraved copper dial centres became one of the defining visual characteristics of the Bristol School.

The signed Thomas Browne clock, c.1650, with its copper dial and square-based integral pillars (left), beside the earlier Civil War lantern clock, c.1642, now thought most likely to have originated in the workshop of his father, James Browne, with rounded integral pillars and a brass dial (right). Together they may represent successive generations at the very beginnings of the Bristol School of lantern clockmaking. Private collection, Photographed by Lee Borrett

Bristol school

The beginnings of the

Although Bristol never produced clocks on the scale of London, it developed one of the earliest and most distinctive provincial traditions of clockmaking in England. Our modern understanding of this group owes a great deal to the pioneering research of Sir George White. After studying a number of anonymous lantern clocks sharing similar dial plates, engraving, frames and constructional features, he travelled to Washington to examine the signed Thomas Browne clock in the collection of Norman Langmaid. The clock provided the crucial evidence linking the wider group to Bristol and, from this and his subsequent research, Sir George coined the description “the Bristol school of lantern clockmaking”.¹

Recent archival research by Professor Jonathan Barry has, however, added an important new dimension to that story. Examination of the original Bristol civic records suggests that Thomas Browne was apprenticed in 1637 to his father, James Browne, a Bristol blacksmith, and that the exceptionally early Civil War lantern clock, formerly attributed to Thomas, was most probably made in James Browne’s workshop while Thomas was still serving his apprenticeship.¹⁰

If this interpretation is correct, the origins of the Bristol School may extend back one generation earlier than previously understood. Rather than representing the work of a single pioneering clockmaker, the earliest surviving Bristol lantern clocks may instead document the evolution of a family workshop, beginning with James Browne and subsequently developing under Thomas into the distinctive style so clearly demonstrated by his signed clock of about 1650.

The present signed clock therefore lies at the heart of that story. As the only known signed lantern clock by Thomas Browne, it provides the one secure point of reference against which the remaining clocks attributed to his workshop can be assessed. Without it, the defining characteristics of Thomas Browne’s mature work would be far less certain.¹²³

A careful comparison of the surviving clocks attributed to Browne reveals a remarkably consistent workshop tradition. Characteristic features include:

finely engraved dial centres with garlands and Tudor roses¹²⁷
the distinctive mask beneath XII¹²⁷
a narrow chapter ring with floating star half-hour markers¹²
integral corner pillars, either rounded or square-based¹²⁷
a long upper lug securing the dial and chapter ring to the front movement bar¹²⁷
a slim waisted hammer spring¹²
small brass collets fitted to the wheel arbors.¹²⁷

Individually, none of these features is conclusive. Collectively, however, they form a highly distinctive pattern that links the surviving Browne clocks into a coherent body of work. The signed clock provides the secure benchmark from which Thomas Browne’s mature workshop can be recognised, while the earlier Civil War lantern clock may preserve an important glimpse of the family workshop from which that distinctive Bristol tradition first emerged.¹²⁵⁷¹⁰

Comparison with

Browne’s earlier work

When viewed alongside the earlier unsigned lantern clocks traditionally attributed to Thomas Browne, the importance of the present example becomes even clearer. It is not an isolated survival but the defining clock within a recognisable body of work sharing the same artistic and structural vocabulary.¹²⁸

Recent research by Professor Jonathan Barry has suggested that the earliest of these clocks may, in fact, have originated in the workshop of Thomas Browne’s father, James Browne, while Thomas was still serving his apprenticeship.¹⁰ If this interpretation is correct, the earliest surviving lantern clock may represent the formative years of the Browne family workshop, with the present signed clock illustrating Thomas Browne’s mature workmanship only a few years later.

Across the surviving group there is a striking consistency in both design and execution. The engraved dial centres, with their flowing garlands and Tudor roses, the expressive mask beneath XII, the elegant proportions of the chapter ring and the restrained character of the frame all point towards the work of a closely related workshop tradition.¹²⁸

At the same time, the signed clock appears to represent that tradition at its most mature. Its square-based integral pillars, copper dial and confident workmanship suggest a maker whose individual style had become fully established by about 1650.¹²⁸ While the earlier Civil War clock preserves many of the workshop’s earliest characteristics, the signed clock demonstrates their refinement into a distinctive and accomplished Bristol style.

It is this combination of originality, quality and secure attribution that gives the clock its exceptional importance. As the only known signed lantern clock by Thomas Browne, it not only confirms the identity of his mature workshop but also provides the essential benchmark by which the surviving lantern clocks associated with the Browne family can be studied and understood.¹²³¹⁰

Conclusion

Few provincial lantern clocks can claim such historical importance.

As the only known signed lantern clock by Thomas Browne of Bristol, this remarkable survivor provides the essential benchmark for identifying his mature work and understanding the emergence of one of England’s earliest provincial schools of clockmaking. It securely links the documentary record with the surviving clocks associated with the Browne workshop and offers a unique insight into the development of a distinctive Bristol tradition during the middle years of the seventeenth century.¹²⁵⁷¹⁰

Recent archival research by Professor Jonathan Barry has added an important new dimension to that story. His examination of the original Bristol civic records suggests that Thomas Browne learned his craft within the workshop of his father, James Browne, and that the exceptionally early Civil War lantern clock, formerly attributed to Thomas, was most probably produced there while Thomas was still serving his apprenticeship.¹⁰ If this interpretation is correct, the two clocks illustrated on this website may represent successive generations of one of Bristol’s earliest known clockmaking families: the earlier clock possibly preserving the formative work of James Browne’s workshop, and the signed clock demonstrating the mature craftsmanship for which Thomas Browne is remembered today.

Beyond its historical significance, the signed clock is an exceptionally accomplished piece of workmanship. Its elegant proportions, beautifully engraved copper dial, boldly signed front fret and remarkably original movement together demonstrate the confidence and individuality of a highly accomplished provincial maker. More than three and a half centuries after it was made, it remains both an object of considerable beauty and a document of lasting historical importance.¹²³

For collectors, historians and students of early English horology alike, this is far more than a rare signed provincial lantern clock. It is the defining example of Thomas Browne’s mature work, the cornerstone for identifying his surviving output, and the key that enables the remarkable story of the Browne family workshop and the origins of the Bristol School to be understood.

Whether future research confirms or refines our present understanding, these two remarkable clocks together provide an exceptional insight into the birth of provincial clockmaking in seventeenth-century Bristol. They stand not only as masterpieces of early English horology, but also as enduring witnesses to the skill, resilience and ingenuity of the craftsmen who created them during one of the most turbulent periods in our nation’s history. As fresh documentary evidence continues to emerge, these remarkable clocks remind us that the study of horology is never truly complete. Every surviving clock still has the potential to tell a new story!

References

George White, English Lantern Clocks (Antique Collectors’ Club, 1989), pp. 222–226; signed Thomas Browne clock, Fig. V/22, p. 223.
Brian Loomes, Lantern Clocks & Their Makers (Mayfield Books, 2008), pp. 174–178.
W. F. Bruce, Early English Lantern Clocks 1600–1700 (Exhibition Catalogue, 2013), section History in Motion: Thomas Browne c.1650.
Antiquarian Horology, March 2010, p. 13.
Brian Loomes, Clockmakers of Britain 1286–1700 (Mayfield Books, 2014), p. 79.
Brian Loomes, “Bristol Style”, Clocks, October 2006, pp. 7–11.
A. J. Moore, The Clockmakers of Bristol (Bristol Branch of the Antiquarian Horological Society, 1999), p. 115.
Lee Borrett, “A Civil War Lantern Clock Attributed to Thomas Browne of Bristol”, Clocks, May 2021, pp. 9–13.
John A. Robey, “Lantern Clock Conversions – A Technical Survey”, Antiquarian Horology, Vol. 46, No. 1 (March 2025), pp. 48–68.
Jonathan Barry, personal correspondence with the author, June 2026, drawing upon his examination of the original Bristol civic records and archival sources.

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my particular gratitude to Sir George White, whose pioneering research established the modern study of the Bristol School of lantern clockmaking. Sir George travelled to Washington specifically to examine this signed Thomas Browne clock when it was in the collection of the late Norman Langmaid and recognised it as the key to establishing the Bristol origin of a group of related anonymous lantern clocks that he had been studying for many years. His subsequent research traced Thomas Browne in the Bristol Burgess Book, investigated his family and will, and used period maps to locate his workshop and place his work within the wider context of Bristol clockmaking. From this research Sir George coined the description “the Bristol school of lantern clockmaking”. The signed clock was illustrated as Fig. V/22 on page 223 of his landmark book English Lantern Clocks (1989). I am also sincerely grateful to Sir George for recently providing further first-hand information concerning the clock’s history and for enabling me to correct its earlier publication record.

I am particularly grateful to Dr John Robey for his generous technical advice on early lantern clocks and for so willingly sharing his extensive knowledge of seventeenth-century movements and their development.

My sincere thanks are also due to my clock friend Martin Gould, whose enthusiasm, encouragement, knowledge and generosity have been an invaluable source of support throughout the research and preparation of this article.

I am especially indebted to Professor Jonathan Barry of the Bristol Record Society, whose generous correspondence following the publication of my original article in Antiquarian Horology brought to light important new archival evidence from the original Bristol civic records. His careful examination of the documentary sources has significantly advanced our understanding of the Browne family and has enabled this revised website edition to reflect the latest historical research.