Recently voted the most iconic monument in Britain, Big Ben has come to symbolize the sights and sounds of a nation but ever-needy machinery. Her attachment to Britain’s parliament building means that making sure she remains reliable is Big Ben’s greatest challenge this year. Following her 150th anniversary, the keepers of Big Ben must ensure the monument stays clean, timely and most importantly, does not stop at an inopportune moment. Political elections, and royal and state visits alike all pass below its famed clock faces. But as history continues to be made on its doorstep workers behind the scenes must do everything from keeping pigeons at bay with a Harris Hawk patrol to monitoring a rather worrying tilt.
Ackshually, Big Ben can never stop ticking because it never started. Big Ben is the bell housed inside the clock tower, and bells generally don’t tick.
The tower is (now) known as The Elizabeth Tower. A source.
The clock itself doesn’t actually have a name that I’m aware of, other than some long-winded mouthful like “The clock mechanism inside the Elizabeth tower at the palace of Westminster, the one that features Big Ben as its main bell.”
