Antique Scottish Clocks

Thomas Kilgour of Inverness was among the earliest known clockmakers working in the Scottish Highlands during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Recorded as maintaining and installing the Inverness town clock in 1692, Kilgour played an important role in the development of Highland horology. Clocks bearing his signature are rare survivors and are highly sought after as examples of early Scottish provincial craftsmanship, combining historical significance with the enduring appeal of handmade longcase clockmaking.  

This  8 day Longcase clock with 5 latched pillar mechanism has a typical anchor escapement and strikes the hours on a single bell.  The quarter sawn oak case is relatively plain but is accented by Egg and dart carving below the hood, a wooden lenticle on the face of the door and a plain box base with bun feet.  It follows the proportions much associated with London clock makers of the late 17th Century.  Thomas Kilgour is recorded working as a clock maker in Inverness from around 1690 up until his death in 1713.   

Around the turn of the eighteenth century, Inverness was the principal town of the Scottish Highlands, serving as an important centre of trade, government and military administration. Situated at the mouth of the River Ness, the town acted as a gateway between the Highlands and the Lowlands, with merchants trading in cattle, salmon, timber, wool and hides. Although modest in size, Inverness was prosperous, its narrow streets lined with merchants' houses, workshops and inns serving travellers, clansmen and traders alike.

The period was one of considerable political change. In 1707, the kingdoms of Scotland and England to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain. While controversial in many parts of Scotland, the Union gradually expanded commercial opportunities and strengthened trade links, benefiting towns such as Inverness. The Highlands also remained shaped by clan loyalties and periodic political tensions, making Inverness an important administrative and military centre for the Crown.

Despite its remote location, Inverness supported a growing community of skilled craftsmen, including blacksmiths, silversmiths, cabinetmakers and the earliest Highland clockmakers. Fine longcase clocks produced in the town during the early eighteenth century are rare survivors, reflecting the increasing prosperity of the region and the emergence of skilled horological craftsmanship in the Highlands.  

Priced: £5400

All of our clocks are available to view by appointment at our workshop showroom in the grounds of The Drum, Edinburgh.