英国伦敦著名古钟，即威斯敏斯特宫钟塔，英国国会会议厅附属的钟楼（Clock Tower）的大报时钟的昵称。建于1858年。安装在西敏寺桥北议会大厦东侧高95米的钟楼上。大钟由当年负责工务的专员本杰明爵士监制，故名“大本”。钟重14吨，钟盘直径7米，时针和分针长度分别为2.75米和4.27米，钟摆重305公斤，每走一小时，发出深沉而有铿锵的报时声。1923年起，通过广播，钟声远及世界各地。
大本钟（Big Ben，坐标：51°30′02.2″N,00°07′28.6″W），或称大笨钟，即威斯敏斯特宫（Palace of Westminster）钟塔，英国国会会议厅附属的钟楼（Clock Tower)的大报时钟的昵称。位于威斯敏斯特桥的南面桥头,与英国议会大厦相连，英国议会大厦的北角，钟楼高79米，钟楼四面的圆形钟盘，直径为6.7米，是伦敦的传统地标。坐地铁可以在威斯敏斯特桥站下车。作为伦敦市的标志以及英国的象征，大本钟巨大而华丽，重13.5吨，四个钟面的面积有两平方米左右。大本钟从1859年就为伦敦城报时，根据格林尼治时间每隔一小时敲响一次，至今将近一个半世纪，尽管这期间大本钟曾两度裂开而重铸。现在大本钟的钟声仍然清晰、动听。
The Palace of Westminster,also known as the Houses of Parliament or WestminsterPalace,in London,is where the two Houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom(the House of Lords and the House of Commons)meet.The palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the London borough of The City of Westminster,close to the government buildings of Whitehall.The palace contains around 1,100 rooms,100 staircases and 4.8 kilometres(3 mi)of corridors.Although the building mainly dates from the 19th century,remaining elements of the original historic buildings include Westminster Hall，used today for major public ceremonial events,and the Jewel Tower.
Control of the Palace of Westminster and its precincts was for centuries exercised by the
Queen’s representative,the Lord Great hamberlain.By agreement with the Crown,
control passed to the two Houses in 1965.Certain ceremonial rooms continue to be controlled by the Lord Great Chamberlain.
