Image credit: Robin Sones / Geograph / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Licensed geotagged reference ↗
Fortnum & Mason Automata Clock
Piccadilly · Piccadilly → St James’s → Covent Garden · Automata / shopfront / quirky design
Story
Look above the entrance of Fortnum & Mason and you will find a wonderfully theatrical piece of London, installed in 1964. This huge automata clock was designed by Berkeley Sutcliffe, a theatrical designer who also worked on Fortnum’s visual identity, and took three years to build. It made its official debut at noon on 4 November 1964. The mechanism does much more than simply tell the time. At fifteen-minute intervals it plays a selection of tunes and, once every hour, the small bronze doors open and figures of Mr Fortnum and Mr Mason emerge to greet one another. Its bells were made by Mears & Stainbank of Whitechapel, part of the historic bell-founding tradition associated with some of Britain’s most famous bells. This is an easy detail to miss if you don't know about it: you can walk past Fortnum’s many times without realising that the façade performs. If you are only a few minutes away from the hour, it's worth waiting to see the spectacle.
What to look for
Look up above the main entrance. Find the two small bronze pavilions on either side of the clock; on the hour they will open and Mr Fortnum and Mr Mason will emerge.
Secret detail
The bells for this automata clock come from the historic Whitechapel bell-founding tradition, the same one that produced bells for iconic locations such as Westminster.
Where exactly
Stand on Piccadilly, opposite the façade. From here you can clearly see the area above the main entrance.
Orientation
From your position, look roughly SOUTH-EAST and UP.
Why it matters
This clock is a delightful example of London's eccentricity, combining mechanical precision with whimsy. It reflects how even commercial institutions can integrate public art and entertainment into their identity for the delight of passers-by.
Access & opening
Clock visible externally. Automata performance is hourly; melodies play at quarter-hour intervals.
Free to watch from the street
We never show live status. Check opening hours before you go.
Accessibility
Public pavement viewpoint; normal Piccadilly kerbs/crowding.