Blake Hall
England is old. Very old. Why, just the other day, the European country and one-time ruler of these here American colonies celebrated the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death. And Willy Shakes scribed in England after it had been around for centuries. So, yeah, be a bloody good sport and do the math.
The point is this: an old house will have old things in it, and England is no different. Some of their most famous stuff — like the large-scale stuff in London that often makes its way to selfies and postcards and paintings — is really old too, and in need of some tender loving repair.
Like the Great Clock (pictured above). And parliament’s 160-year-old Elizabeth Tower, which houses both the jumbo timepiece AND Big Ben.
In case you didn’t know or held a common American misconception, Big Ben is not the tower or the giant clock. It’s the big bell (below) that chimes when the minute and hour hands tell it to.
So, they’re getting their remodels, “in consultation with Historic England”. In 2017.
At which point it’ll stop chiming. At least for a while.
This from BuzzFeed:
The project will include repairing and redecorating the interior of the tower, which was designed by famous architects Charles Barry and Augustus Welby Pugin, and increasing its energy efficiency to reduce its environmental impact.
The 160-year-old tower is visited by roughly 12,000 people each year and is conserved by parliament’s heritage team.
Although extensive conservation works were carried out between 1983 and 1985, officials said the £29 million investment will ensure the Grade I-listed building remains in good condition.
The Elizabeth Tower was debuted in 1856.
The Ayrton Light will also be “dismantled and restored”. It’s a beacon located at the peak of the tower that, when turned on, means that parliament is sitting.