Unusual cross-symbol clock face on St Mary’s parish church tower in Eccles, Salford.

. A distinctive circular clock face is mounted in the weathered sandstone of St Mary the Virgin parish church in Eccles, Salford, Greater Manchester. Its dark blue-grey dial has a narrow gold-coloured outer ring and twelve pale cross-shaped hour markers evenly spaced around the circumference. Two pale hands meet at an ornamental centre and extend across the dial, one noticeably longer than the other. The metal outer rim and the small decorative shapes stand out against the textured clock face. Large courses of brown and grey sandstone, visible mortar joints and patches of surface weathering surround the circular opening. Part of a rectangular dark louvred aperture is visible above, linking the closely framed clock to the higher part of the church tower. St Mary's stands on Church Street in the centre of Eccles and is designated Grade I by Historic England, list entry 1067498. The listed church incorporates medieval fabric: the west end of the north aisle and the base of the tower date from the thirteenth century, with substantial widening and rebuilding during the fifteenth century. Its chancel was rebuilt in 1862, and the south porch was replaced in 1923. The church is built in red ashlar sandstone with slate and lead roofs. This photograph concentrates on one architectural feature of that historic building, setting the stylised dial directly against individual weathered stone blocks. The unusual hour markers, delicate metal hands and adjoining masonry give the tower clock its distinctive appearance.