An expression of King George III's real interest in horology and in practical clock making,
is seen in the mid 1760s, when he commissions two extraordinary astronomical clocks.
The first was made by Eardley Norton and really was designed to capture
every concept astronomically in dial form.
The second was made three years later under the auspices of Christopher Pinchbeck
and basically is a very similar but much grander object.
Ever since George III was a pupil under private tutors, he demonstrated a great aptitude for the sciences,
and showed a particular interest in astronomy and the associated technology.
There is a record of the extraordinary number of clocks which were kept by the king at Buckingham House.
"In every room the encouragement given by His Majesty to the ingenious constructors of timepieces is apparent.
We do not recollect that there is one room without a clock. Certainly several have two or three."
The 1760s was framed by two really important astronomical events; the transits of Venus.
The importance of this event was that it can be used, if it is carefully observed from several places on the earth,
to do calculations to enable you to determine the distance between the Earth and the Sun.
So, it was a hugely important observation they made in '61 and '69.
King George III recognised this, and not only funded the expeditions to view it
from various places across the world, but established his own observatory at Kew,
to personally oversee an observation of it in this country.
This fantastic four-sided astronomical clock was George III's 27th birthday present in 1765.
It was made by the English clockmaker Eardley Norton, and it cost £1, 042 brand new.
What makes this clock so special is the cleverness of the design,
to be able to show so many things in one mechanism.
The back dial shows the motions of the moon and the tides. From the centre of the dial you have 32 ports,
mainly British Isles, some continental.
You then have the solar time showing, the age of the moon
and in the top aperture you see the moon going round.
The clock was originally in George III's bedchamber in Buckingham House.
It then went to the Octagon Library, Buckingham House, before coming to Windsor Castle,
where it now lives in the Royal Library.
The Eardley Norton Clock was manufactured three years prior to the Christopher Pinchbeck Clock.
The key difference between the Norton and the Pinchbeck is the style of case.
The case for the Christopher Pinchbeck Clock was designed by
Sir William Chambers in association with George III himself.
The contents of the movement appear in certain respects to be very similar to the Eardley Norton clock.
The principal dials on both clocks show the rising and the setting of the sun,
meantime and also display the time that a sundial would show.
A further dial on both clocks have got planetary motions depicted. Both clocks have got a tidal dial,
and both clocks have got a calendar work. So there are distinct similarities between both clocks.
Not only was King George III interested in the theory and the practice of clock and watch making,
but it went much further than that.
His financial and moral support of the makers themselves at critical periods in their lives
and in the development of horology at this important time, speaks volumes for his real interest in the subject,
and his understanding of the needs of a developing science.