Caledonian Park Clock Tower
History
The market at Smithfield in the City of London has been in operation for over 800 years. By the mid-Victorian era, the development of London had made the transportation of livestock into the centre of the city problematic and in 1852 the Smithfield Market Removal Act was passed, allowing for the construction of a new Metropolitan Cattle Market on the site of a demolished mansion, Copenhagen House, in Islington, to the north of the city. The market complex was designed by the Corporation of London's Surveyor, James Bunstone Bunning, and was opened by Prince Albert on 15 June 1855. The rectangular site radiated out from the central clock tower and comprised livestock pens that could accommodate 12,700 cattle, sheep and pigs, slaughterhouses, sales arenas, offices, banks, a telegraph office and two hostels and five pubs for the rest and recreation of the drovers who brought the animals into London, and for the market workers.
The sale of livestock at the site ended in the 1930s, and of meat in the 1960s. The market buildings were then mostly demolished, council housing, principally the Market Estate, was built over much of the site, and the remainder converted to a municipal park. In the late 20th century, the tower suffered considerably from vandalism. In 2016, Islington Council began a restoration project at a cost of just under £2M which saw the reopening on the clock tower in 2019. The tower now offers public access and guided tours.
Architecture and description
The tower stands 46 m (151 ft) designed to act as a focal point for drovers entering London. It has five storeys and is constructed of Portland stone. The base is rusticated and is supported by "swooping buttresses" on each side. The clock set into the fourth storey is by the firm of John Morris of Clerkenwell and has a set of three bells which rang each day to signal the market's opening and closing. The final storey has a balustrade giving good views over London, and is topped with a weather vane in the form of a dragon which was re-gilded during the restoration in 2016-2019. Bridget Cherry, in her revised London 4: North edition of the Pevsner Buildings of England, describes the Caledonian Park Clock Tower as "magnificent; Italianate with Baroque buttreses and a more conventional Quattrocento top". The tower is a Grade II* listed building. Two sets of railings which once fully enclosed the market are listed Grade II. Only three of the four public houses which originally stood at each corner of the market site remain, The White Horse, The Lamb, and The Lion, each of which is also listed Grade II. The fourth, The Black Bull, which stood at the south-west corner has been demolished.
Footnotes
- ^ After the demolition of the mansion, the grounds initially became a public space and pleasure grounds named Copenhagen Fields. In 1834, thousands of Londoners demonstrated in the fields in support of the Tolpuddle Martyrs.
- ^ The restoration of the tower was shortlisted for the AJ Architecture Awards in 2019.
References
- ^ "Copenhagen Fields". Hidden London. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ "History of Smithfield Market". City of London Corporation. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ "J.B. Bunning, Esq., F.S.A." The Gentleman's Magazine. 1863. p. 800.
- ^ Cherry & Pevsner 2002, pp. 667–668.
- ^ "Cally Clock Tower: 46 metres of history". Islington Faces. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ "The Metropolitan Cattle Market – Caledonian Park". Friends of Caledonian Park. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ Cherry & Pevsner 2002, pp. 667–68.
- ^ "Caledonian Park". www.islington.gov.uk. Islington Council. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ "Caledonian Clock Tower and new Heritage Centre are heart of the park". www.islington.gov.uk. Islington Council. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ "Restored iconic Caledonian Clock Tower and new Heritage Centre will open on 8 June". www.islington.gov.uk. Islington Council. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "The Clock Tower, Caledonian Park, Market Road (Grade II*) (1298021)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ "Caledonian Park: Clock Tower Tours". OpenHouse London. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ "Caledonian Park Clock Tower and Heritage Centre". Dannatt Johnson Architects. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Railings, walls, gate piers and gates to Caledonian Park (Grade II) (1208009)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Railings and gates to Islington Tennis Centre and King George's Field (Grade II) (1195681)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Market House (formerly The White Horse Public House) (Grade II*) (1298021)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "The Lamb Tavern Public House (Grade II) (1208151)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "24, North Road (formerly The Lion Public House) (Grade II) (1195691)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
Sources
- Cherry, Bridget; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2002). London 4: North. The Buildings of England. New Haven, US and London: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-09653-8. OCLC 1080929646.