Ugborough Church Clock by Reg Head
Fixed I am here upon this tower
To time you of each passing hour.
I’ve timed them all, down through the years,
In times of joy- in times of tears.
To those who enter through my door
I time you all, both rich and poor.
They heard me strike down winding lane,
And o’er the distant moorland plain.
I warned them of the time of day
When they did gather in the hay,
I broke the silence of the morn
For them to rise and reap the corn.
And old men gathering in the grain
Have sometimes whisper’d, “sign of rain”.
They heard me strike at eventide
While resting by their fireside,
And old men at the village inn
Have drunk and told weird tales within.
So I must strike your final hour-
When you may lie beneath this tower,
And as the years fall into line-
I must strike on, with Father Time.
Background information- David Roe recently wrote a letter about The Friends of St Peter’s, which was published in the local paper. Following this, he received a copy of the above poem from Mr. P. Lock who lives in Worthing. It was written by his (late) wife’s Uncle, Reg Head who lived at Sunrise in Bittaford. It was published in The Golden Book of Poetry in 1974 and I have Mr. Lock’s permission for it to be republished here