On Saturday 13th September, Otley Courthouse marked Heritage Open Day 2025 with a celebration of architecture and community. The event welcomed visitors from 10am to 4pm, featuring talks by local architects and a special interactive challenge created by Wharfedale Men’s Shed (WMS).
WMS designed and built a wooden model of the Otley Town Clock, originally created by architect Alfred Marshall to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. Their version took the form of a Jenga-style puzzle, offered as a free competition. Participants first assembled the clock from its component blocks before testing their nerve and skill: three minutes to carefully remove as many blocks as possible while keeping the tower standing tall.
The contest drew plenty of laughter and concentration, with the winning team — two young ladies — successfully removing 27 blocks in the time allowed. A fantastic display of strategy and balance!
See the photos attached to catch a glimpse of the fun.
