|
 The Queen's Tower - Imperial College Road, London, UK
N 51° 29.896 W 000° 10.619
30U E 695942 N 5709015
The Queen's Tower is on the north side of Imperial College Road and is all that remains of the Imperial Institute. The Institute was built to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee and contains a ring of ten bells.
Waymark Code: WMHV47
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/14/2013
Views: 1
The information boards, at the base of the tower, tell us:
The Queen's Tower
The Queen's Tower is all that remains of the Imperial Institute, which
was built to mark Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1897. It was 700
feet long with a central tower (the Queen's Tower) and smaller towers at
the east and west ends. When it was to be demolished in the early 1960s,
the Victorian Society and John Betjeman, (Poet Laureate 1972-1984)
campaigned against total demolition and the Queen's Tower was saved.
The Queen's Tower is 287 feet tall, clad in portland stone and topped by
a copper covered dome. The internal wooden structure of the dome is an
interesting example of Victorian craftsmanship. Near the entrance to the
tower are two large stone lions. These are two of the four lions which
flanked the entrance to the Imperial Institute. The other two are now at
the Commonwealth Institute in Holland Park.
The belfry contains the Alexandra peal of 10 bells. Each bell is
separately named after members of the Royal family - Queen Victoria, her
three sons, her daughter-in-law and her five Wales grand-children. The
bells are now rung on Royal Anniversaries between 1 and 2pm.
The tower is Grade II listed with the entry at the
English Heritage website telling us:
Queen's Tower GV II Surviving
tower of the demolished Imperial Institute 1887-1893. Thomas E Collcott.
Portland stone with red brick bands; copper dome. Eclectic Renaissance
manner. Four main stages with balustraded balconies between. Tall square
shaft with pilaster strips; archway near base. Small arched windows at
intervals, paired towards top. Dome with octagonal stage beneath having
semicircular turrets and flying buttresses above four corners of tower.
Cupola and gilded finial.
Loves Guide Church Bells of Westminster website
tells us:
| Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Note |
Cast |
Founder |
Name |
| 1 |
6-2-16 |
29½" |
F |
1893 |
John Taylor & Co |
Maud |
| 2 |
7-2-21 |
30½" |
E flat |
1893 |
John Taylor & Co |
Victoria |
| 3 |
8-1-5 |
33" |
D flat |
1893 |
John Taylor & Co |
Louise |
| 4 |
9-0-19 |
34" |
C |
1893 |
John Taylor & Co |
George |
| 5 |
10-3-14 |
37½" |
B flat |
1893 |
John Taylor & Co |
Albert Victor |
| 6 |
13-1-18 |
40?" |
A flat |
1893 |
John Taylor & Co |
Prince Arthur William Patrick Albert |
| 7 |
16-2-19 |
44½" |
G flat |
1893 |
John Taylor & Co |
Prince Alfred Ernest Albert |
| 8 |
20-2-24 |
47½" |
F |
1893 |
John Taylor & Co |
Prince Albert Edward |
| 9 |
27-0-0 |
52½" |
E flat |
1893 |
John Taylor & Co |
Queen Victoria |
| 10 |
38-1-15 |
59?" |
D flat |
1893 |
John Taylor & Co |
|
Address of Tower:
The Queen's Tower
Imperial College Road
London, United Kingdom
Still Operational: yes
Number of bells in tower?: 10
Relevant website?: [Web Link]
Rate tower: 
Tours or visits allowed in tower?: Yes
|
Visit Instructions:
Please post an original picture of the tower taken while you were there. Please also record how you came to be at this tower and any other interesting information you learned about it while there.
Recent Visits/Logs:
| There are no logs for this waymark yet. |
|
|
|
|