Maidstone Town Hall Clock - Middle Row, Maidstone, UK
N 51° 16.409 E 000° 31.330
31U E 327167 N 5683154
This clock is supported from the north west face of Maidstone Town Hall and projects over the footpath.
Waymark Code: WMR5PV
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/13/2016
Views: 1
The clock is housed in a round wooden case that is painted black and decorated with joining fleur-de-lys, painted in gold, around the edge. A sunstantial wooden bracket, also painted black decorated in gold, supports the clock.
The clock has two faces, one facing north east and the other south west. As they are identical only one is described here. The clock has a white face, probably translucent so as to be back-lit at night. The hour and minute marks appear to have been pressed from a single sheet of metal with the marks being held together by three concentric rings. The rings are coloured gold with the outer and centre rings containing the minute marks. The centre and inner rings support the hour marks that are Roman numerals. The marks are painted black. The hands are a basic design and are painted black with some gold detailing.
The Town Hall is a Grade II* listed building with the entry at the Historic England website telling us:
Built 1762-3. The ground floor was originally used as a market, then converted into the police court. 2 storeys. 7 windows, the easternmost and westernmost ones slightly set back. Ground floor Portland ashlar above red brick with stone dressings. Stone modillion cornice and brick parapet with pediment, above the 3 easternmost windows of the non-recessed portion. Cupola of 8 Ionic columns supporting a small dome surmounted by a gilded ball and weather vane. 1st floor windows in stone architrave surrounds with pediments over, alternately triangular and curved. Large round-headed windows on the ground floor flanked by pilasters, with a stringcourse above the ground floor. 2 round-headed doorways with large semi-circular fanlights and doors of 6 moulded panels. The east end of the building forms a canted bay of 3 windows. The Council Chamber contains a fine Rococo painted ceiling and drops of musical instruments on the wall by Galli and Cotti. 2 C18 pedimented overmantels, and 6 fielded panelled doors. There are also 2 large cells with graffiti carved by the prisoners. This was used as a prison before the prison along Boxley Road was built and incorporates timbers from an earlier timber-framed building on the site.