Standing proud for nearly three decades, the Gurney Clock was a symbol of Norwich's heraldic past and cultural impact - but where is it now?

Commissioned in 1974, the clock was built to mark the 200th anniversary of the founding of Barclays Bank by the Gurney family in Norwich in 1775.

Eastern Daily Press: The largest toothed wheel is fitted to the Gurney clock by Martin Burgess, October 30, 1980The largest toothed wheel is fitted to the Gurney clock by Martin Burgess, October 30, 1980 (Image: Newsquest)

A gift to the city, the Gurneys were prominent Quakers known for their commitment to social reform and community welfare.

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This philanthropic family, which included individuals like Hudson Gurney and Samuel Gurney, played a significant role in the economic and social development of Norwich during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Eastern Daily Press: The Gurney Clock in Chapelfield Gardens before its removalThe Gurney Clock in Chapelfield Gardens before its removal (Image: Newsquest)

Martin Burgess, a horologist and master clockmaker, modelled the clock after one of John Harrison's - father of the marine chronometer - designs. 

Taking nearly a decade to complete, its construction was plagued by difficulties as Burgess struggled to recreate Harrison's intricate components, finally completing it in 1984 at a cost of £250,000.

Eastern Daily Press: How the clock looked when it was in the Castle Mall, now Castle QuarterHow the clock looked when it was in the Castle Mall, now Castle Quarter (Image: Absolute Action)

It was initially installed in Chapelfield Gardens in 1987 inside a glass and steel enclosure but quickly became a target for vandals.

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In 1992, the Norwich Society lobbied to have the clock restored and preserved, finding its home in the Castle Mall's east entrance by 1998.

Eastern Daily Press: Horologist Simon Michlmayr with the lion from the Gurney Clock, 2006Horologist Simon Michlmayr with the lion from the Gurney Clock, 2006 (Image: Newsquest)

Installed in a glass cylinder, the centrepiece of the clock was a golden lion automaton within the keep of a white castle.

Using a weight-driven system, every hour the lion would take a ball and place it on a set of tracks to fall upon a pair of scales.

Eastern Daily Press: Again with the clock during maintenanceAgain with the clock during maintenance (Image: Newsquest)

The motifs of the clock symbolised Norfolk's heritage - a lion being a symbol for Norwich and scales for Barclays Bank - with the clock remaining in Castle Mall until 2015 when renovations began on the site. 

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Kept in storage ever since, last year, council bosses announced they were in talks over it going back on show, discussing how to bring it out of storage and find a suitable location for it to go.

Eastern Daily Press: Watching the golden lion every hour was loved by young children and familiesWatching the golden lion every hour was loved by young children and families (Image: Newsquest)

The Gurney family's former flagship bank in Bank Plain has been considered as its potential destination, now under the ownership of Norwich University of the Arts since Open's departure in 2020. 

The university said it was in the very early stages of planning but was "committed" to exploring the possibility.