Westminster will fall silent next week as Big Ben stops bonging for FOUR YEARS so crucial conservation work can take place
At noon on Monday, August 21 the great bell will strike for its final time until 2021 while the iconic tower is preserved
WESTMINSTER will fall eerily silent next week as Big Ben stops bonging for four years so that crucial conservation work can take place.
At noon on Monday, August 21 the great bell will strike for its final time until 2021 while the iconic tower is preserved for future generations.
Politicians set their clock by the chimes of the historic clock, while tourists flock to hear its famous sounds.
The 96-metre tall Elizabeth Tower is the most photographed building in the UK, and is the focal point of the Grade I listed Palace of Westminster, which forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
But complex restoration work needs to take place, and to ensure the safety of those working there the 13.7 tonne Great Bell, popularly known as Big Ben, will go quiet.
The tower is currently half-covered in scaffolding after the project started earlier this year, with repairs soon to start on the Ayrton Light - which shines to show that Parliament is sitting.
Then work will start on the custom built Victorian clockwork mechanism, which relies on gravity to trigger the renowned bongs, which has struck every hour to the note of E with almost unbroken service for the past 157 years.
But The Houses of Parliament have confirmed its specialist clock makers will ensure it can still sound for important national events such as New Year’s Eve and Remembrance Sunday.
Steve Jaggs, Keeper of the Great Clock, said: “Big Ben falling silent is a significant milestone in this crucial conservation project.
“As Keeper of the Great Clock I have the great honour of ensuring this beautiful piece of Victorian engineering is in top condition on a daily basis.
MOST READ IN POLITICS:
“This essential programme of works will safeguard the clock on a long term basis, as well as protecting and preserving its home – the Elizabeth Tower.
“Members of the public are welcome to mark this important moment by gathering in Parliament Square to hear Big Ben’s final bongs until they return in 2021.”