What's on
Cromwell's Watch
01-10-24 -
10-11-24,
10:00 AM -
4:00 PM
Admission: £FREE
Location: The Cromwell Museum, Huntingdon
A rare opportunity to see one of only two provenanced pocket watches that belonged to Oliver Cromwell, a beautiful and technical marvel of the mid 17th century watchmakers craft.
The watch was made by London watchmaker William Clay, and purchased by Cromwell after he became one of Clay's neighbours in 1647. Cromwell then gifted the watch to one of his officers, John Blackwell in 1650. The watch remained in the Blackwell family until purchased by the current owner in 2019 and restored.
The watch is a fine example of a 'Puritan watch' of the period, in a silver case. The other example that can be provenanced to belong to Cromwell is in the British Museum.
This remarkable and beautiful timepiece is on loan to the Museum for a short period, but we are fundraising to purchase it to add permanantly to our collections.
