Greenock, Custom House Quay, Clock Tower
Beacon (19th Century), Clock Tower (19th Century), Drinking Fountain (19th Century)
Site Name Greenock, Custom House Quay, Clock Tower
Classification Beacon (19th Century), Clock Tower (19th Century), Drinking Fountain (19th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Greenock Harbour; Harbour Light; Steamboat Quay; Greenock 1
Canmore ID 199871
Site Number NS27NE 154
NGR NS 28330 76237
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/199871
- Council Inverclyde
- Parish Greenock
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Inverclyde
- Former County Renfrewshire
(Greenock 1: location cited as NS 283 762). On Steamboat Quay: William Clark, 1868. Elaborate cast- and wrought-iron column, replicating Greenock 2. Base square in plan with panelled sides and basins on E and W faces. Reduces to octagon, then to tapering circular-section modified Corinthian column. This is surmounted by clock, with octagonal lantern above, in Gothic style, with crown belfry, ball finial, and weathervane. Moved a few metres E in 1992.
J R Hume 1997.
Photographic Record (14 October 2011)
Photographed as record update by the Listed Building Area Survey.
Desk Based Assessment (1 September 2017)
The clock tower situated at Custom House Quay, 30m NW of the Custom House, was designed by William Clark and made for Greenock Harbour Trust around 1860. Scotland’s most elaborate harbour light, it has a square in plan cast iron base incorporating a drinking fountain with opposing lion’s head faucets and basins, supporting a Corinthian column, with central rope-moulded band. The column supports a 4-faced clock above which sits an octagonal lantern with crown belfry, ball finial, and weathervane. The light is annotated ‘D.F.’ - Drinking Fountain, on the 2nd edition of the OS 25-inch map (Renfrewshire 1897, Sheet 002.06).
Information from HES Survey and Recording (AMcC) 1 September 2017.
