Tudor Clockmaker Bartholomew Newsam - A Gifted Man - The Tudor Society

Today, I’m exploring the life of a remarkable yet forgotten craftsman. On this day in Tudor history, 17th January 1587, Bartholomew Newsam died. He was buried in the church of St Mary-le-Strand, the parish in which he lived and worked. He was in his fifties at his death. His life spanned the reigns of five monarchs: Henry VIII, Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey, Mary I, and Elizabeth I—a time of immense change and innovation. Newsam was more than just a craftsman—he was a trailblazer in English clockmaking, a skill that was incredibly specialised in Tudor times. While most clocks were imported from Europe, Newsam stood out as one of the first English clockmakers to gain royal recognition.