Youngsters' tribute to Big Ben

Sir Benjamin Hall was in charge of rebuilding Parliament when Big Ben was installed

Children from Llanover near Abergavenny are marking the 150th anniversary of Big Ben by presenting a plaque to Parliament celebrating its links to a local 19th Century MP.

The famous clock is named after Sir Benjamin Hall who became Lord Llanover.

As commissioner of the Metropolitan Board of Works he directed the rebuilding of Parliament in the 1850s.

Children who helped artist Ned Heywood design the plaque will present it to the Deputy Speaker on Wednesday.

The pupils drew and cut out shapes for a series of small squares depicting themes associated with Lord Llanover, the son of an industrialist who became MP for Monmouth in 1832.

Ned then scaled down the shapes and incorporated them onto the plaque in gold-leaf surrounding a main picture of Lord Llanover.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, the Llanover youngsters have been invited to the House of Commons for a presentation hosted by Monmouth MP David Davies.

The children will hand over the plaque to the Deputy Speaker who will accept it on behalf of the House.

The older children and guests will then be allowed to ascend the 334 steps to the belfry in the Clock Tower.

Guests at the presentation will include Robin Herbert, a descendant of Lord Llanover, and members of his family.

Big Ben has been given a spring clean to mark its 150th anniversary

The project was funded by the RAE Herbert Charitable Trust and the Abergavenny Local History Society.

The plaque is likely to be kept at a museum in the Clock Tower and an exhibition may be held about the children's work on the project.

The children are also compiling a commemorative book about the village of Llanover, Lord and Lady Llanover and the connection with Big Ben.

Although the parliamentary clock tower is commonly known as Big Ben, the nickname was originally given to its Great Bell, the biggest in its belfry and the one that strikes the hour.

In 1855 Sir Benjamin Hall introduced the Act of Parliament creating the Metropolitan Board of Works, which was instrumental in modernising London's public spaces and services in the days before local government.

He became the board's chief commissioner from 1855 to 1858, during which time the bell was installed as part of the rebuilding of the Houses of Parliament.

Big Ben weighs 13.7 tonnes, has a height of 2.2 metres and a diameter of 2.7 metres. The musical note when it is struck is E and the hammer that strikes it weighs 200kg.

Its chimes were heard for the first time on 11th July 1859.

Ned Heywood's work also appears on standing stones in Abergavenny

Meanwhile Abergavenny Local History Society has installed twin standing stones in Swan Meadow near the bus station in the town centre to commemorate Lord Llanover.

The stones feature carvings by the artist Jane Turner and plaques designed by Ned Heywood featuring images of Lord Llanover, Big Ben and the Clock Tower.

They form part of a grant-funded project to celebrate Abergavenny's Eisteddfod tradition and the work of Lord and Lady Llanover to promote Welsh language and customs.