Jubilee Clock Tower, Seaton, Devon

Built in 1887 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Jubilee, the clock tower stands in Seafield Gardens overlooking Jubilee Garden. Originally the site of a large residential building, the lower part of the gardens were landscaped after the house was bombed during World War II.

This included a precipitous rockery, winding steps, waterfall, meandering stream and two ponds, making a delightful foreground to Seaton's favourite landmark. Sadly, the stream and lower circular pond were removed and landscaped over, turning the area into a half-amphitheatre. Below that the lawn still remains, where people can picnic and children play, but without the stream and the wishing well at the bottom. The oblong pond in the top Seafield Gardens has also been kept, seen above left.

Taken from the other side, the date plaque and entrance, above. It was possible to squeeze beneath the foliage to get to the door. No access of course, but it enabled me to get some close-up photos. 

Built with lovely red brick and tiles, I would have expected the dressings to be in Beer Stone, taken from the nearby limestone quarry in the village of Beer, but I haven't been able to substantiate that yet.

Some lovely attention to detail, as was the case in Victorian times; a tiny but pretty stained glass window, above, sadly damaged and now protected by a covering of perspex. And below, a cute little trefoil in the tympanum above the door.

 

 

The original clock mechanism, complete with bells, was removed during the 1990s and is now on display in Seaton Museum. Having been replaced by an electric movement in the clock tower it's still lovely to hear it strike the hour.

 

I don't have any more pertinent information about it at the moment but it's a much loved monument in the town, and one that I've taken quite a lot of photos of. So, here's some more of those below. :)

Having written about the clock tower it occurred to me that an article about the two gardens might be a good idea, which I'll do sometime in the future and link to this and the cactus house posts. Meanwhile, I've still got plenty to be getting on with as well, with many erstwhile website articles to rewrite plus a growing bunch of new ones. Onwards and upwards, lol. :)