History of the Clock Farm

The 60-acre Clock Farm, named for its unique four-faced striking steeple clock, once consisted of stables, carriage houses, and training fields for the former Ames Langwater Farms.

The imposing manor house of Langwater Farms (once known as the Willis Farm), now Donahue Hall at Stonehill College, overlooked the farm's grazing cattle.  Langwater was synonymous with the breeding and raising of the most famous Guernsey herd in the world, including Imp-King of the May, forefather of the Guernsey breed in America.

The stable was designed for F. Lothrop Ames in 1908 by the Boston architectural firm of Coolidge and Carlson.  Although primarily known for its prize Guernsey stock, the stable's single stalls originally housed Arabian horses, which were also bred on the grounds.

David Ames donated the greater part of the Clock Farm to Stonehill College on October 23, 1978.  The College purchased the remaining portions of the property shortly after.  The College has remodeled the interior of the stables and carriage houses into Facilities Management offices and workshops.  The exterior of the building has been refurbished to its original condition and its famed clock restored.

E. Howard Steeple Clock

The David Ames Clock Farm is know for its E. Howard Steeple Clock, of which only 3,000 exist in the United States.  The clock was installed in 1870 and served to summon the farmhands working on the 60 acres of fields.  It rings every 15 minutes and is crank-wound by Facilities Management every 5 days.  It was refurbished in 2004.

The inner workings of the clock are currently being completely restored to their original condition.  Check back in a couple of months to hear it chime again.