Clock Tower - Waterford, Ireland
N 52° 15.735 W 007° 06.668
29U E 628906 N 5791887
The Clock Tower, Waterford Quays. Waterford, Ireland is one of the best-known landmarks in the city. It was built between 1860 – 1863 in an ornate Gothic style.
Waymark Code: WMRTYV
Location: Munster, Ireland
Date Posted: 08/04/2016
Views: 1
The Clock Tower is built of high quality granite stone masonry. It was originally known as the Fountain Clock, as it had troughs for working horses to drink from. The mechanisms for the clock and fountain are still of technical and engineering interest.
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Description
Freestanding single-bay two-stage Gothic Revival clock tower, erected 1863, on a square plan with broach spire over. Granite ashlar broach spire on gablets with diamond panels to base having cast-iron clock faces, sproketed finials to gables, and wrought iron finial to pinnacle of spire. Broken coursed rusticated cut-limestone walls to tower with cut-limestone dressings including diagonal stepped buttresses, pointed-arch blind opening with cut-granite surround having chamfered reveals, cut-granite stoups (in trefoil-headed recesses) on colonettes with cut-limestone voussoirs over having portrait keystones, cut-granite punctuated (pointed-arch) frieze to second stage having corbel table over, and dentilated cornice to 'eaves' level. Road fronted with reconstituted stone flagged footpath surrounding.
Appraisal
This clock tower is a renowned landmark in the centre of Waterford City and is an attractive feature in the streetscape of the quays, as well as a pleasing termination to the vista from Barronstrand Street to the south. Designed by Tarrant (n. d.) in an ornate Gothic style various features, ranging from diamond panels to the clock faces to the subtle portrait detailing, enhance the architectural and artistic qualities of the composition. The construction and carved dressings throughout are indicative of high quality stone masonry. The tower retains most of the original fittings and mechanisms operating the clock and fountain, which are of some technical or engineering interest.