Act of Parliament clock

An Act of Parliament clock, also commonly known as a tavern clock, is a type of large clock originally hung in inns and taverns in the United Kingdom, beginning in the mid-18th century. Such clocks were plain in design, the faces were around two to five feet in diameter, and they were hung on the wall.

Act of Parliament clock at a museum in Greenwich

The term Act of Parliament clock came about long after these clocks were already in existence. In 1797, a tax against clocks of five shillings was introduced in the Kingdom of Great Britain by the prime minister William Pitt.[1] The tax was very unpopular among clockmakers and was repealed after nine months.[2] The large clocks in inns were later widely (though incorrectly) said to have been developed as a response to this tax.