The Wellington Testimonial Clock-Tower

Arthur Ashpitel, F.S A

1854

London Bridge

Southwark

Illustrated London News (1854)

“This picturesque design will, when completed, accomplish a twofold purpose — the commemoration of the public services of England's greatest hero, and of the peaceful triumphs of the Great Industrial Exhibition of 1851” (573).

According to IanVisits, placing the clock tower on the busy approach to London Bridge made it a nuisance, and when the London Bridge train station was enlarged (1864-67), the tower “was taken down, while the 'rubble' was given to a builder who needed ballast for his empty boats returning to the mines of Dorset. He then chose to rebuild it on his estate in Swanage,” and at some point it was moved to the harbor in Swanage. According to Chris Downer, it arrived without its original clock, and the spire “became unsafe and was removed in 1904.” The planned statue of Wellington was apparently never created and probably never commissioned.

Image scan by Philip V. Allingham; text and formatting by George P. Landow.

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