Clock Tower, Clevedon

The Clock Tower in Clevedon is a Victorian landmark standing on a traffic island in the middle of this North Somerset seaside town. It rises in the area known as The Triangle, surrounded by shops and cafes, and works as the natural meeting point and orientation mark for anyone exploring the centre.

What is the Clevedon Clock Tower?

It is a square stone tower built in the late 19th century. Wikipedia gives the year as 1898, while the official National Heritage List for England entry describes it more broadly as late 19th or early 20th century. Historic England listed it at Grade II on 22 January 1976 under list entry number 1129703.

The tower was a gift to the town from Sir Charles Elton, presented to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. The Elton family has long been tied to Clevedon and its surrounding estate.

What will you see?

The walls are coursed rubble stone with smooth ashlar dressings. Stone bands set with coloured, patterned tiles divide the structure into three storeys, and the top band also has coloured detached shafts. Deep eaves carry a tiled roof that starts as a pyramid and turns octagonal higher up, finished with a weathervane. Each side of the upper storey has a clock face, so you can check the time from any direction around the junction.

The tiles and a figure of Father Time are made of Elton Ware, a pottery produced locally. A drinking fountain sits at the base, though it has been out of use for many years.

The listing notes that the tower forms a group with neighbouring buildings in The Triangle and Chapel Hill. Those neighbours are of local interest only, which makes the tower the single nationally listed structure here.

How long should you allow?

The tower cannot be entered, so a visit takes just a few minutes. It fits well into a stroll through Clevedon's shopping streets before you head on towards the seafront. Step closer to study the tile patterns, the carving and the clock faces. Morning and late afternoon light brings out the colours of the ceramics, and traffic around the island tends to be lighter then.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Clevedon Clock Tower a listed building? Yes. It holds Grade II status on the National Heritage List for England (entry 1129703), granted in 1976.

When was it built? Wikipedia says 1898. The official listing text places it at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, so sources give slightly different dates.

Who paid for it? Sir Charles Elton gave the tower to the town to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

Can you drink from the fountain at the base? No. The fountain has been out of use for many years.

Is there an entry fee? No. The tower stands in a public space and can be viewed free at any time. Visitors cannot go inside.