Founded in 1990 by Keith and Lynn Scobie-Youngs, the Cumbria Clock Company began with a simple but ambitious goal: to preserve the UK’s rich legacy of public and turret clocks. From its base in the heart of the Lake District, the company has grown from a small specialist team into one of the most respected names in horological conservation and restoration across the country.
Keith brought with him years of experience working with turret clocks and historic mechanisms, and together with Lynn’s dedication and organisational insight, the company soon built a reputation for excellence, integrity, and innovation. The couple’s shared passion for heritage and craftsmanship remains at the heart of the business today.
Over the past three decades, the Cumbria Clock Company has been trusted with the care and restoration of some of the most iconic timepieces in the UK, including the Great Clock of Westminster—Big Ben. In 2017, the company was selected to undertake the major disassembly, conservation, and restoration of Big Ben, the largest and most complex project in its history. Every part of the mechanism was carefully removed, cleaned, repaired where necessary, and meticulously reassembled to return the clock to its original Victorian splendour.
Following the successful completion of that project, the Cumbria Clock Company now works alongside the Palace Clock Team as part of the official maintenance and conservation programme for Big Ben, helping to ensure its accuracy and reliability for future generations.
In addition to landmark projects, the company maintains and services over 1,400 public clocks across the UK, from rural parish churches to cathedral towers and historic civic buildings. The team combines traditional horological expertise with cutting-edge digital control systems, offering a full suite of services including:
Full restorations of historic clock mechanisms
Custom-designed automatic winding and bell striking systems
Electromagnetic hammer installations
Scheduled maintenance contracts
From its rural workshop in Dacre, Cumbria, the company continues to uphold the highest standards of conservation and engineering, playing a vital role in keeping the nation’s clocks ticking.