A rare THOMAS Tompion table clock was among the items stolen in a raid on a Cumbrian stately home on Saturday, September 19. Police believe at least two people were involved in the burglary at Levens Hall in Cumbria.

At around 5am, at least two thieves used ladders to scale the walls of Levens Hall, near Kendal before climbing to a first floor room. It is understood that the clock was damaged during the burglary and one of its four feet is now missing.

A £20,000 reward has been issued for the clock’s safe return by AXA Arts insurance company and South Cumbria CID are pursuing a number of local and national leads.

Anyone with information is asked to contact 0845 3300247.

Thomas Tompion (1639–1713) was an English master clockmaker and watchmaker known today as the father of English watchmaking. His work includes some of the most important clocks and watches in the world and his work commands huge prices whenever it appears at auction.

Thomas Tompion was a founding member of England’s famed Clockmaker’s Guild of the 1630's.

His apprentices included George Allett, Edward Banger, Henry Carlowe, Daniel Delander, Ricard Ems, Ambrose Gardner, Obadiah Gardner, William Graham (nephew of George Graham), George Harrison, Whitestone Littlemore, Jerimiah Martin, Charles Molins, William Mourlay, Charles Murray, Robert Pattison, William Sherwood, Richard Street, Charles Sypson, William Thompson, James Tunn and Thomas White many of whom became important clockmakers in their own right.

As England's most prominent watchmaker, Tompion built about 5,500 watches and 650 clocks during his career. Tompion's clocks are known for their ingenuity of design and robust construction. His three-train grande sonnerie bracket clocks are masterpieces.

Another of his innovations was to create a numbering system for his spring and long-case clocks which is thought to be the first time that a serial numbering system was applied to manufactured goods.

Thomas Tompion died on 20 November 1713 and was buried in Westminster Abbey. Many of his clocks are still operational today, including two of his one-year clocks housed in Buckingham Palace, London