The History
Victoria Tower is a Grade II listed Gothic Revival Clock Tower located alongside Salisbury Dock in Liverpool, England. Positioned among the two river entrance gates to the Salisbury Dock itself, the tower acted as an aid to ships by providing both an accurate time and also warning of impending meteorological changes.
Victoria Tower was designed by Jesse Hartley and was constructed between 1847 and 1848, to commemorate the opening of Salisbury Dock. Its design was based upon an earlier drawing by Philip Hardwick in 1846.
Victoria Tower, which was often referred to as the 'docker's clock', was built as an aid to ships in the port, as it allowed them to set the correct time as they sailed out into the Irish Sea, while its bell warned of impending meteorological changes such as high tide and fog. Upon its completion is also served as a flat for the Pier Master.
In 1975, the building was added to the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest with Grade II status.
Due to the decline in docking within Liverpool, the tower has fallen into a state of disrepair suffering significant decay due to both water and wind damage. The tower is also overgrown with vegetation and has a leaking roof. Nonetheless, despite being in a state of dereliction, Victoria Tower is part of the Stanley Dock Conservation Area and also Liverpool's World Heritage Maritime Mercantile City.
In April 2010, it was announced that Victoria Tower, along with several other buildings around Clarence and Salisbury docks, would be repaired by owners, Peel Holdings. The tower and the areas around it are also included in the proposed £5.5bn regeneration programme, Liverpool Waters.
Hartley's inspiration for the tower's design was the castle architecture of the Rhine region in Central Europe and is clearly visible in the numerous embrasures that are cut into the tower walls. It was constructed from 'irregular shaped' blocks of grey granite, a building material that was used in many of Hartley's other construction projects. The tower can be roughly split into three portions:
On 4th December 1845, Jesse Hartley, submitted a design to the Dock Committee for "a tower in which to place a clock for the use of the public, to be erected upon the middle pier of the southern entrance from the river of the new dock works, which tower might be made available for the purpose of a telegraph or lighthouse.”
The river he was referring to is the Mersey and the new dock works, Salisbury Dock. Hartley was the Dock Surveyor, and his design was accepted. The tower, known as Victoria Tower, was completed in 1848.
Victoria Tower has a circular base that changes to a hexagonal plan above its corbelled balcony. It tapers slightly as it rises to the projecting castellated top above its sixth floor. A navigation light in an ornamental structure was planned for the top but not constructed. Instead, a 9m flagpole was installed (now gone). Each of the six sides of the tower has a clock face at fourth floor level.
Granite from Kircudbright, sandstone and brickwork were used for the tower's construction. It's faced with ashlar granite and the doorways and windows have dressed voussoirs and quoins. The corbels, balustrades and castellations feature fine workmanship.
The floors above ground are each supported by two cast iron inverted V-shaped beams. Between these is vaulted brickwork. The beams are set at angles that differ from floor to floor by 60 degrees. This spreads the load evenly. The floors are laid with clay tiles, except for the lower three floors, which have tongue and groove boarding, as these floors were the living accommodation for the tower keeper. The fifth floor is an open belfry with a single brass bell by Mears & Stainbank of Whitechapel Foundry, London. It is dated 1892.
The tops of the castellations are 31.6m above the ground and the centres of the clock faces 17.4m. At ground level, the tower's diameter is 9.6m. Up at roof level, each of the six sides measures 6.3m across.
The Explore
Visited here Saturday evening, having spent the afternoon in Wapping Tunnel. Ideally i'd have done it the other way round but the approach is very exposed and anyone within a half mile radius can see you. Apparently you never walk alone in Liverpool, well I did plenty of that. Access to the clock tower itself wasn't too hard, its just getting to it that requires a bit of planning!
Its a pretty cool spooky building this one, especially at night, on yer lonesome! There's lots of dangerous spiral staircases, empty but shapely rooms (including the clockworks and belfry) and a good view of the docks and Liverpool at the top. Plenty of pigeon shit and plenty of pigeons to contend with as well.
There wasn't any sign of any work having been done recently but the building has definitely changed since previous reports. The little building connected to the side is no longer there and neither is the bell
Unfortunately the board was fixed securely in place so i couldn't access the roof. The pigeons are friendly though, if surprising. Bloody things!
Victoria Tower is a Grade II listed Gothic Revival Clock Tower located alongside Salisbury Dock in Liverpool, England. Positioned among the two river entrance gates to the Salisbury Dock itself, the tower acted as an aid to ships by providing both an accurate time and also warning of impending meteorological changes.
Victoria Tower was designed by Jesse Hartley and was constructed between 1847 and 1848, to commemorate the opening of Salisbury Dock. Its design was based upon an earlier drawing by Philip Hardwick in 1846.
Victoria Tower, which was often referred to as the 'docker's clock', was built as an aid to ships in the port, as it allowed them to set the correct time as they sailed out into the Irish Sea, while its bell warned of impending meteorological changes such as high tide and fog. Upon its completion is also served as a flat for the Pier Master.
In 1975, the building was added to the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest with Grade II status.
Due to the decline in docking within Liverpool, the tower has fallen into a state of disrepair suffering significant decay due to both water and wind damage. The tower is also overgrown with vegetation and has a leaking roof. Nonetheless, despite being in a state of dereliction, Victoria Tower is part of the Stanley Dock Conservation Area and also Liverpool's World Heritage Maritime Mercantile City.
In April 2010, it was announced that Victoria Tower, along with several other buildings around Clarence and Salisbury docks, would be repaired by owners, Peel Holdings. The tower and the areas around it are also included in the proposed £5.5bn regeneration programme, Liverpool Waters.
Hartley's inspiration for the tower's design was the castle architecture of the Rhine region in Central Europe and is clearly visible in the numerous embrasures that are cut into the tower walls. It was constructed from 'irregular shaped' blocks of grey granite, a building material that was used in many of Hartley's other construction projects. The tower can be roughly split into three portions:
- The tapered circular base, which has several arched alcoves
- The central hexagonal column onto which the tower's six clocks are attached
- The roof, which consists of an overhanging castellated parapet that is supported by several corbels
On 4th December 1845, Jesse Hartley, submitted a design to the Dock Committee for "a tower in which to place a clock for the use of the public, to be erected upon the middle pier of the southern entrance from the river of the new dock works, which tower might be made available for the purpose of a telegraph or lighthouse.”
The river he was referring to is the Mersey and the new dock works, Salisbury Dock. Hartley was the Dock Surveyor, and his design was accepted. The tower, known as Victoria Tower, was completed in 1848.
Victoria Tower has a circular base that changes to a hexagonal plan above its corbelled balcony. It tapers slightly as it rises to the projecting castellated top above its sixth floor. A navigation light in an ornamental structure was planned for the top but not constructed. Instead, a 9m flagpole was installed (now gone). Each of the six sides of the tower has a clock face at fourth floor level.
Granite from Kircudbright, sandstone and brickwork were used for the tower's construction. It's faced with ashlar granite and the doorways and windows have dressed voussoirs and quoins. The corbels, balustrades and castellations feature fine workmanship.
The floors above ground are each supported by two cast iron inverted V-shaped beams. Between these is vaulted brickwork. The beams are set at angles that differ from floor to floor by 60 degrees. This spreads the load evenly. The floors are laid with clay tiles, except for the lower three floors, which have tongue and groove boarding, as these floors were the living accommodation for the tower keeper. The fifth floor is an open belfry with a single brass bell by Mears & Stainbank of Whitechapel Foundry, London. It is dated 1892.
The tops of the castellations are 31.6m above the ground and the centres of the clock faces 17.4m. At ground level, the tower's diameter is 9.6m. Up at roof level, each of the six sides measures 6.3m across.
The Explore
Visited here Saturday evening, having spent the afternoon in Wapping Tunnel. Ideally i'd have done it the other way round but the approach is very exposed and anyone within a half mile radius can see you. Apparently you never walk alone in Liverpool, well I did plenty of that. Access to the clock tower itself wasn't too hard, its just getting to it that requires a bit of planning!
Its a pretty cool spooky building this one, especially at night, on yer lonesome! There's lots of dangerous spiral staircases, empty but shapely rooms (including the clockworks and belfry) and a good view of the docks and Liverpool at the top. Plenty of pigeon shit and plenty of pigeons to contend with as well.
There wasn't any sign of any work having been done recently but the building has definitely changed since previous reports. The little building connected to the side is no longer there and neither is the bell
Unfortunately the board was fixed securely in place so i couldn't access the roof. The pigeons are friendly though, if surprising. Bloody things!
