The Witches Cottage Cuckoo Clock

This one got a bit out of hand. We were asked if we could make a cuckoo clock inspired by the Sanderson Cottage from Hocus Pocus. Given the opportunity to make a timber late medieval cottage in the form of a clock, we gleefully accepted! Through January to March 2021 we made the clock. Although the cottage in the film was made up, it had a style of architecture that would have been familiar in most towns in old England. Probably sixteenth century, but with the unusual additions of weather boarding, water wheel, stocks and purple chimney smoke. We took the proportions of the gable from the Tudor Tavern (now Cafe Nero) in Taunton (which we’d love to make some day).

The clock mechanism was a battery operated quartz cuckoo. The little chap pokes his head out each hour.

The cuckoo clock was made with a plyboard base, stained to give it the feel of wattle and daub, then mahogany detailing, with a mixture of EVERY TYPE of wood veneer used for the shingle roof. Every tile was cut and laid by hand. That was quite a challenge, but surprisingly fun. And the results looked great. Finally, the we filled the windows with very slightly misted plastic glaze.

The interior of the Witches Cottage Cuckoo Clock. Most of the detailing here was just for fun, as only the silhouettes could be seen through the windows.

The mechanism is a quartz cuckoo. This is fitted with a light sensor so it does not sound at night. It also has loud, quiet and off settings for the birdsong. We fitted the control panel into a side window.

The size of this beast is 39cm tall, 34cm wide and 15cm deep.