 Donald Harden, Keeper of Antiquities at the Ashmolean Museum, recognised its similarity with the Dover Castle Clock, and in 1938 he concluded that the two were by the same clockmaker.It originally had a verge escapement like the Dover clock, but later in the 17th century the Combe clock was updated with a short pendulum.John Smith and Sons of Derby supplied a new clock for the church in 1948.