The Clock Tower, often referred to as Big Ben (the nickname of the Great Bell housed within the Clock Tower)

The Clock Tower is the world's largest four-faced, chiming clock. The structure is situated at the north-eastern end of the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London. It is often colloquially referred to as Big Ben, which is actually the nickname of the main bell housed within the tower (formally known as the Great Bell).^[1][2][3] The Clock Tower has also been referred to as The Tower of Big Ben and, incorrectly, St Stephen's Tower, which is actually the spired tower towards the middle of the Palace and is also the main point of entry for attendees of debates and committees.^[4] Big Ben can be: Big Ben, the nickname of the Great Bell of Westminster, the hour bell of the Great Clock, hanging in the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, the home of the Houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom the name of an alarm clock model manufactured... For other uses, see Clock (disambiguation). ... “Houses of Parliament” redirects here. ... Westminster is a district within the City of Westminster in London. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Structure of the clock

The Palace of Westminster, and the Clock Tower on the north-eastern end, from Westminster Bridge

The tower was raised as a part of Charles Barry's design for a new palace, after the old Palace of Westminster was destroyed by fire on the night of 22 October 1834. However, although Barry was the chief architect of the palace, he turned to Augustus Pugin for the design of the clock tower, which resembles earlier Pugin designs, including one for Scarisbrick Hall. The design for the Clock Tower was Pugin's last design before his final descent into madness and death, and Pugin himself wrote, at the time of Barry's last visit to him to collect the drawings: "I never worked so hard in my life for Mr Barry for tomorrow I render all the designs for finishing his bell tower & it is beautiful."^[5] The tower is designed in Pugin's celebrated Gothic Revival style, and is 96.3 metres (315.9 ft) high. The Clock Tower, from Westminster Bridge . ... The Clock Tower, from Westminster Bridge . ... “Houses of Parliament” redirects here. ... Westminster Bridge and the Palace of Westminster, with a glimpse of Westminster Abbey behind the tower of Big Ben. ... The Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster, Barrys most famous building. ... “Houses of Parliament” redirects here. ... is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1834 (MDCCCXXXIV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the English architect and designer, 1812–1852. ... Scarisbrick Hall Scarisbrick Hall is a country house situated just to the south-east of the village of Scarisbrick in Lancashire England. ... Victoria Tower at the Palace of Westminster, London: Gothic details provided by A.W.N. Pugin San Sebastian Church in Manila, Philippines made entirely of steel. ...

The first 61 metres (200 ft) of the structure is the Clock Tower, consisting of brickwork with stone cladding; the remainder of the tower's height is a framed spire of cast iron. The tower is founded on a 15-metre (49 ft) square raft, made of 3-metre (9.8 ft) thick concrete, at a depth of 4 metres (13 ft) below ground level. The four clock faces are 55 metres (180 ft) above ground. The interior volume of the tower is 4,650 cubic metres (164,200 cubic feet). The term cladding can have a number of meanings: Regarding optical fiber in telecommunication, cladding is one or more layers of material of lower refractive index, in intimate contact with a core material of higher refractive index. ... Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but can mean any of a group of iron-based alloys containing more than 2% carbon (alloys with less carbon are carbon steel by definition). ...

Due to ground conditions present since construction, the tower leans slightly to the north-west, by roughly 220 millimetres (8.66 in) at the clock face, giving an inclination of approximately 1/250.^[6] Due to thermal effects it oscillates annually by a few millimetres east and west.

Clock faces

The clock faces are large enough to have once allowed the Clock Tower to be the largest four-faced clock in the world, but have since been outdone by the Allen-Bradley Clock Tower in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The builders of the Allen-Bradley Clock Tower did not add chimes to the clock, so the Great Clock of Westminster still holds the title of the "world's largest four-faced chiming clock". The clock mechanism itself was completed by 1854, but the tower was not fully constructed until four years later, in 1858. Allen-Bradley Milwaukees Allen-Bradley Clock Tower, owned by Allen-Bradley, a product brand of Rockwell Automation, has long been a city landmark. ... For other places with the same name, see Milwaukee (disambiguation). ... A carillon-like instrument with less than 23 bells is called a chime. ...

The face of the Great Clock of Westminster. The hour hand is 2.7 metres (9 ft) long and the minute hand is 4.3 metres (14 ft) long.

The clock and dials were designed by Augustus Pugin. The clock faces are set in an iron frame 7 metres (23 ft) in diameter, supporting 312 pieces of opal glass, rather like a stained-glass window. Some of the glass pieces may be removed for inspection of the hands. The surround of the dials is heavily gilded. At the base of each clock face in gilt letters is the Latin inscription DOMINE SALVAM FAC REGINAM NOSTRAM VICTORIAM PRIMAM, which means O Lord, keep safe our Queen Victoria the First. Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (March 1, 1812–September 14, 1852) was an English-born architect, designer and theorist of design now best remembered for his work on churches and on the Houses of Parliament. ... Strictly speaking, stained glass is glass that has been painted with silver stain and then fired. ... A gilded Tibetan Vajrasattva Gilding is the art of applying metal leaf (most commonly gold or silver leaf) to a surface. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... Queen Victoria redirects here. ...

It is interesting to note that the 4 is indicated as IV rather than the usual IIII.

The clock became operational on 7 September 1859. is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1859 (MDCCCLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Mechanism

The Clock Tower at dusk, with The London Eye in the background

The clock is famous for its reliability. This is due to the skill of its designer, the lawyer and amateur horologist Edmund Beckett Denison, later Lord Grimthorpe. As the clock mechanism, created to Denison's specification by clockmaker Edward John Dent, was completed before the tower itself was finished, Denison had time to experiment. Instead of using the deadbeat escapement and remontoire as originally designed, Denison invented the double three-legged gravity escapement. This escapement provides the best separation between pendulum and clock mechanism. Together with an enclosed, wind-proof box sunk beneath the clockroom, the Great Clock's pendulum is well isolated from external factors like snow, ice and pigeons on the clock hands, and keeps remarkably accurate time. Download high resolution version (600x976, 174 KB)The clock tower of Big Ben at dusk. ... Download high resolution version (600x976, 174 KB)The clock tower of Big Ben at dusk. ... The London Eye is, as of December 2003, the largest observation wheel in the world (though often erroneously called a Ferris wheel). ... Horology is the study of the science and art of timekeeping devices. ... Edmund Beckett Edmund Beckett, 1st Baron Grimthorpe, Q.C. (May 12, 1816, Carlton Hall, Nottinghamshire, England - April 29, 1905), known previously as Sir Edmund Beckett, 5th Baronet was a lawyer, amateur horologist, and architect. ... Edward John Dent (1790-1853)was a famous English watchmaker. ... A simple escapement. ... In horology, a remontoire is a secondary winding mechanism that is periodically rewound from the main source of energy, such as a mainspring. ... A simple escapement. ... A simple escapement. ...

The idiom of putting a penny on, with the meaning of slowing down, sprang from the method of fine-tuning the clock's pendulum. The pendulum carries a small stack of old penny coins; adding or subtracting coins has the effect of minutely altering the position of the bob's centre of mass, the effective length of the pendulum rod and hence the rate at which the pendulum swings. Adding or removing a penny will change the clock's speed by 2/5th of one second per day. For other uses, see Pendulum (disambiguation). ... For silver pennies produced after 1820 see Maundy money. ...

Despite heavy bombing the clock ran accurately throughout the Blitz. It slowed down on New Year's Eve 1962 due to heavy snow, causing it to chime in the new year 10 minutes late.^{[citation needed]} ‹ The template below (Citations missing) is being considered for deletion. ... For other articles with similar names, see New Year (disambiguation). ...

The clock had its first and only major breakdown in 1976. The chiming mechanism broke due to metal fatigue on 5 August 1976, and was reactivated again on 9 May 1977. During this time BBC Radio 4 had to make do with the pips.^{[citation needed]} This article is about a computer game. ... is the 217th day of the year (218th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... old Radio 4 logo BBC Radio 4 is a UK domestic radio station which broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes including news, drama, comedy, science and history. ... The Greenwich Time Signal or BBC pips is a time code heard on some BBC radio programs at the start of the hour, most notably on Radio 4 and the World Service. ...

It stopped on 30 April 1997, the day before the general election, and again three weeks later.^{[citation needed]} is the 120th day of the year (121st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... The UK general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997. ...

On Friday, 27 May 2005, the clock stopped ticking at 10:07 pm local time, possibly due to hot weather (temperatures in London had reached an unseasonal 31.8 °C (90 °F). It resumed keeping time, but stalled again at 10:20 pm local time and remained still for about 90 minutes before starting up again.^[7] is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On 29 October 2005, the mechanism was stopped for approximately 33 hours so that the clock and its chimes could be worked on. It was the lengthiest maintenance shutdown in 22 years.^[8] is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The south clock face being cleaned on 11 August 2007

The clock tower's "Quarter Bells" were taken out of commission for four weeks starting at 7:00 am local time on 5 June 2006,^[9] as a bearing holding one of the quarter bells was damaged from years of wear and needed to be removed for repairs. During this period, BBC Radio 4 broadcast recordings of British bird song followed by the pips in place of the usual chimes.^[10] is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Blackbird (Turdus merula), singing male. ...

On 11 August 2007, Big Ben went silent and the clock temporarily also stopped keeping time for maintenance that lasted one month. The bearings that help sound the chime on each hour were replaced, for the first time since installation.^[11] During the maintenance works, the clock was not driven by the original mechanism, but by an electric motor. Once again, BBC Radio 4 had to make do with the pips during this time. is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... old Radio 4 logo BBC Radio 4 is a UK domestic radio station which broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes including news, drama, comedy, science and history. ...

The Great Bell

The main bell, officially known as the Great Bell, is the largest bell in the tower and part of the Great Clock of Westminster. The bell is better known by the nickname Big Ben, which is often mistakenly applied to the Clock Tower.^[1][2][3]

The original bell was a 14.5-tonne (16 ton) hour bell, cast on 6 April 1856 in Stockton-on-Tees by Warner's of Cripplegate. The bell was never officially named, but the legend on it records that the commissioner of works, Sir Benjamin Hall, was responsible for the order. Another theory for the origin of the name is that the bell may have been named after a contemporary heavyweight boxer Benjamin Caunt. It is thought that the bell was originally to be called Victoria or Royal Victoria in honour of Queen Victoria,^[12] but that an MP suggested the nickname during a Parliamentary debate; the comment is not recorded in Hansard. This article is about the metric tonne. ... The short ton is a unit of mass equal to 907. ... is the 96th day of the year (97th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Stockton-on-Tees is an industrial town and port on the River Tees in north-eastern England. ... The Right Honourable Benjamin Hall, 1st Baron Llanover, PC (1802-1867) was a civil engineer and politician. ... // Ben Caunt (22 March 1815 — 10 September 1861) was a 19th Century English bare-knuckle boxer who became the heavyweight boxing champion known as the Torkard Giant. ... Queen Victoria redirects here. ... Hansard is the traditional name for the printed transcripts of parliamentary debates in the Westminster system of government. ...

Since the tower was not yet finished, the bell was mounted in New Palace Yard. The bell cracked under the striking hammer, and its metal was recast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry as the 13.76-tonne (13.54 ton (long), 15.17 ton (short)) bell, which stands at a height of 2.2 metres with a diameter of 2.9 metres, and it is still in use today. The new bell, which chimes on A, was cast on 10 April 1858 and mounted in the tower alongside four quarter-hour bells, the ring of bells that ring the familiar changes. The bell was first heard across London on 31 May 1859. ^[13] “Houses of Parliament” redirects here. ... The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is a bell foundry based in the Whitechapel district of east London. ... A long ton is the name used in the US for the unit called the ton in the avoirdupois or Imperial system of measurements, as used (alongside the metric system) in the United Kingdom and to some extent in other Commonwealth countries. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... This article is about the use of the term note in music. ... is the 100th day of the year (101st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1858 (MDCCCLVIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Quarter bells are the bells that the clock mechanism strikes on each passing quarter of the hour. ... A ring of bells (or peal of bells) is a complete set of bells, hung in a circle – usually in a tower – for change ringing. ... Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a series of mathematical patterns called changes, without attempting to ring a conventional tune. ... is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1859 (MDCCCLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Other Bells

Along with the main bell, the belfry houses four quarter bells which play the Westminster Quarters on the quarter hours. The four quarter bells are G sharp, F sharp, E, and B (see Note). They play a 20-chime sequence, 1–4 at quarter past, 5–12 at half past, 13–20 and 1–4 at quarter to, and 5–20 on the hour. Because the low bell (B) is struck twice in quick succession, there is not enough time to pull a hammer back, and it is supplied with two wrench hammers on opposite sides of the bell. The tune is that of the Cambridge Chimes, first used for the chimes of Great St Mary's church, Cambridge, and supposedly a variation, attributed to William Crotch, on a phrase from Handel's Messiah. The notional words of the chime, again derived from Great St Mary's and in turn an allusion to Psalm 37, are: "All through this hour/Lord be my guide/And by Thy power/No foot shall slide". They are written on a plaque on the wall of the clock room.^[14][15] Belfry of Bruges A belfry is a building (also known as a bell tower) - or a part of a building - in which bells are hung. ... Quarter bells are the bells that the clock mechanism strikes on each passing quarter of the hour. ... The Westminster Quarters is the most common name for a melody used by a set of clock bells to strike the hour. ... The Westminster Quarters is the most common name for a melody used by a set of clock bells to strike the hour. ... On the right, the Church of St Mary the Great marks the centre of Cambridge. ... This article is about the city in England. ... For the ballet Theme and Variations, see Theme and Variations (ballet). ... William Crotch (1775 - 1847) was an English composer and organist. ... In music a phrase (Greek φράση, sentence, expression, see also strophe) is a section of music that is relatively self contained and coherent over a medium time scale. ... George Frideric Handel (German Georg Friedrich Händel), (February 23, 1685 – April 14, 1759) was a German-born British Baroque music composer. ... Messiah (HWV 56) is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel based on a libretto by Charles Jennens. ... Psalms (Tehilim תהילים, in Hebrew) is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, and of the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. ...

On-the-hour chimes Image File history File links Big_Ben_chimes. ...

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Similar turret clocks

Turret clocks around the world are inspired by the look of the Great Clock. An electrically wound, gravity driven turret clock A turret clock is a large mechanical clock set in a tower for use by a large number of people. ...

Britain

A six-metre (20 ft) metal replica of the Clock Tower, known as Little Ben and complete with a working clock, stands on a traffic island close to Victoria Station. Please Note: The following article is not true. ... Victoria station in London is a London Underground and National Rail station in the City of Westminster. ...

There are two similar clock towers in Birmingham. The tallest is the Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower of the University of Birmingham. Often referred to as Old Tom or Old Joe, it is 100 metres (328 ft) tall and its four faces are each 5.2 metres (17 ft) in diameter. The University clock is a replica of the Torre del Mangia in Italy rather than the Big Ben Clock Tower. The other tower is Big Brum in Chamberlain Square in Birmingham City Centre. This article is about the British city. ... Old Joe, the University Clock Tower The Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower (grid reference SP048835) is a 100 metres (328 ft) tall clock tower in the centre of Chancellors Court at the University of Birmingham, England and was built to commemorate Joseph Chamberlain, the first Chancellor of the University. ... Website http://www. ... Torre del Mangia towering above of the Palazzo Pubblico The Torre del Mangia was built in 1334 and is located in Siena in the Tuscany region of Italy. ... Chamberlain Square is a public open space in central Birmingham, England, named after Joseph Chamberlain. ...

Baby Big Ben is the Welsh version of the Clock Tower at the pierhead in Cardiff. Its mechanism is almost identical to the one which powers the Big Ben clock in London.^[16] This article is about the country. ... This article is about the capital city of Wales. ...

Other countries

There are other replicas, one of the finest of which is a two-third exact replica of the movement made by Dent located in the Queens Royal College Trinidad. There is another in Zimbabwe.

The clock tower of the Gare de Lyon in Paris and the Peace Tower of the Canadian Parliament Buildings in Ottawa draw inspiration from the clock tower. Inside the Gare de Lyon. ... This article is about the capital of France. ... The Peace Tower in view on Parliament Hill The Peace Tower at night For other uses, see Peace Tower (disambiguation). ... For the hill in London, see Parliament Hill, London. ... This article is about the capital city of Canada. ...

The 47-metre (150 ft) tower of the City Hall in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, contains a quarter-chime Westminster tower clock and carillon manufactured by Gillett and Johnston of Croydon. Its four faces are each three metres in diameter. Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city of the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. ...

Significance in popular culture

The clock has become a symbol of the United Kingdom and London, particularly in the visual media. When a television or film-maker wishes to quickly convey to a non-UK audience a generic location in Britain, a popular way to do so is to show an image of the Clock Tower, often with a Routemaster bus or Hackney carriage in the foreground.^[17] This gambit is less often used in the United Kingdom itself, as it would suggest to most British people a specific location in London, which may not be the intention. Big Ben is often polled as the Most Iconic London Film Location.^[18] This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... A Routemaster in Piccadilly Circus. ... In the United Kingdom, the name hackney carriage refers to a taxicab licensed by the Public Carriage Office in Greater London or by the local authority (non-metropolitan district councils or unitary authorities) in other parts of England, Wales, and Scotland, or by the Department of the Environment in Northern...

The sound of the clock chiming has also been used this way in audio media, but as the Westminster Quarters are heard from other clocks and other devices, the unique nature of this particular sound has been considerably diluted. The Westminster Quarters is the most common name for a melody used by a set of clock bells to strike the hour. ...

ITV News opening titles featuring a face from the Clock Tower

The Clock Tower is a focus of New Year celebrations in the United Kingdom, with radio and TV stations tuning to its chimes to welcome the start of the year. Similarly, on Remembrance Day, the chimes of Big Ben are broadcast to mark the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month and the start of two minutes' silence. Image File history File linksMetadata ItvNEWS_bigben_clockface. ... Image File history File linksMetadata ItvNEWS_bigben_clockface. ... ITV News is the name of the news broadcasts on British TV network ITV. It has one of the largest television audiences for news in the UK. It is produced by Independent Television News (ITN), and was more commonly known simply as ITN until 1999. ... For other uses, see New Year (disambiguation). ... Remembrance Day also known as Poppy Day, Armistice Day (the event it commemorates), or Veterans Day in the United States is a day to commemorate the sacrifices of members of the armed forces and of civilians in times of war, specifically since the First World War. ...

For years ITN's "News at Ten" began with an opening sequence which featured the Clock Tower and Big Ben with the chimes punctuating the announcement of the news headlines. The Big Ben chimes are still used today during the headlines and all ITV News bulletins use a graphic based on the Westminster clock face. Big Ben can also be heard striking the hour before some news bulletins on BBC Radio 4 (6 pm and midnight, plus 10 pm on Sundays) and the BBC World Service, a practice that began on 31 December 1923. The chimes are sent in real time from a microphone permanently installed in the tower and connected by line to Broadcasting House. ITN may refer to: Independent Television News In the news, a section on the Main Page of English Wikipedia This is a disambiguation page, a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... Sir Trevor McDonald presenting the original final broadcast of News at Ten, from 5 March 1999. ... ITV News is the name of the news broadcasts on British TV network ITV. It has one of the largest television audiences for news in the UK. It is produced by Independent Television News (ITN), and was more commonly known simply as ITN until 1999. ... old Radio 4 logo BBC Radio 4 is a UK domestic radio station which broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes including news, drama, comedy, science and history. ... The BBC World Service is one of the most widely recognised international broadcasters, transmitting in 33 languages to many parts of the world through multiple technologies. ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Broadcasting House (disambiguation). ...

Londoners who live an appropriate distance from the Clock Tower and Big Ben can, by means of listening to the chimes both live and on the radio or television, hear the bell strike thirteen times on New Year's Eve. This is possible due to what amounts to a one-strike offset between live and electronically transmitted chimes by virtue of a combination of digital coding and decoding and satellite transit delay. Guests are invited to count the chimes aloud as the radio is gradually turned down.

Awards

It was announced on 9 April 2008 that a survey of 2,000 people found that the tower was the most popular landmark in the United Kingdom.^[19][20] is the 99th day of the year (100th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ...

Other uses of the name

The nickname Big Ben has been given to some American sports figures. (See Big Ben (disambiguation).) Big Ben can be: Big Ben, the nickname of the Great Bell of Westminster, the hour bell of the Great Clock, hanging in the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, the home of the Houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom the name of an alarm clock model manufactured...

See also

• Victoria Tower
• Bell (instrument)

Victoria Tower is the square tower at the south end of the Palace of Westminster. ... A bell is a simple sound-making device. ...

References

is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... For other uses, see The Independent (disambiguation). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year (99th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Guardian. ...

External links

• Thwaites & Reed
• Big Ben photo gallery
• Explore Parliament
• Whitechapel Bell Foundry on Big Ben
• Factsheet from Palace of Westminster (includes details on The Great Clock)PDF (451 KiB)
• Big Ben
• Innovative engineering to control Big Ben's tiltPDF (747 KiB) - A technical paper from Cambridge University
• Skyscrapernews detail on Big Ben
• Aerial view at Google Local

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