IS THAT THE TIME ?

WHAT TIME OCLOCK !

ST MARY MAGDALENE CHURCH WHITGIFT, Church Lane, Twin Rivers, East Riding of Yorkshire DN14 8HQ

The feature is the Church Clock, on the North wall, which dates from 1919 and has the figure XIII, instead of XII. The explanation of the "wrong number" has a few stories, one is that XII was thought to be the witching hour, so they put XIII instead.

It would appear that when the clock was installed, the figure was not properly co-ordinated with the clock mechanism, so the second "I " was painted out ,and another " I " added alongside. However, over time, the original stroke began to show and nobody felt disposed to alter it again.

Yet another local story says the craftsman had one too many at the Angel Inn, that used to be on the right of the church. The building still stands, but the Inn closed in the 1970s. Locals were never willing to pass down the lane at the side of the church, as folklore said that they used to hang prisoners there.

The clock was referred to by William Joyce in his wartime treasonable broadcasts. Lord Haw Haw said: The German bombers will fly so low that they will be able to see the 13th hand of the Whitgift Church Clock.

The Church Tower incorporates two distinct styles of Church architecture - early Decorated and Perpendicular. Over the years the Tower has settled at a lower level than the rest of the building and appears to lean.

Latin inscriptions show XIX and MCM for the 1919 date of the clock. IN TERRA and PAX mean simple Peace on Earth.