The Dock Tower is a Grade I listed building in the North East Lincolnshire local planning authority area, England. First listed on 28 April 1972. A 1851-2 Hydraulic tower, tower. 1 related planning application.
The Dock Tower
- WRENN ID
- little-flue-shade
- Grade
- I
- Local Planning Authority
- North East Lincolnshire
- Constituency
- Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes MP: Melanie Onn (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 28 April 1972
- Type
- Hydraulic tower, tower
- Address
- The Dock Tower, Royal Dock
- OS grid reference
- TA 278 113
- Coordinates
- 53.58317, -0.07033
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The Dock Tower is a hydraulic tower built between 1851 and 1852 by JW Wild for The Grimsby Dock Company. It is a building of group value, considered to be of the highest architectural and historical significance. The tower stands within the Royal Dock, Grimsby. Constructed of red brick with a limestone ashlar plinth and ashlar cap, it features an iron lantern. The design is modelled on the Palazzo Publico at Sienna, with an added oriental-style minaret.
The tower has a square section and is approximately 94 metres tall. It is divided into three distinct stages. The tall main stage has a rock-faced rusticated plinth and a recessed board door on the east side, set beneath a rubbed-brick arch. This stage is punctuated by six tiers of three tall slit lights on each side and contains a brass memorial plaque to the west side, inscribed "1939 A TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO SWEPT THE SEAS 1949". A stepped brick and ashlar string course runs along the main stage. The top section steps outwards, featuring deep imitation machicolations and a tall parapet with brick-coped, pointed arched crenellations. Above this is a smaller stage replicating the lower stage, with a single tier of two slit lights to each side and a similar crenellated head. A short, octagonal stage sits above this, incorporating a round-headed door leading to a balcony. The tower is crowned by a moulded cap, tall octagonal iron lantern, an openwork spire, and a finial.
The interior of the tower has not been inspected.
Originally, the hydraulic gear within the tower operated the gates to the adjacent east and west locks, along with dockside cranes. The tower represents one of William Armstrong’s earliest applications of hydraulic power, and is believed to be the only system of its kind to be built. It exemplifies the first stage of hydraulic-power technology, utilising height to generate pressure from an elevated water tank. It was superseded in 1892 by a nearby high-pressure hydraulic accumulator tower. Together, the two towers represent a rare survival of early hydraulic systems.
The Dock Tower serves as a major local landmark and seamark.
Local climate
The Dock Tower receives an average of 760 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 68% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 59% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 25 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 73% of listed buildings. Of these, 14 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- No EPC on record for this property
- No sale records on file
- Related listed building consents — 1 application
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
Matched applications, energy data and sale records are assembled automatically and may contain errors. Flag incorrect data.
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Nearby listed buildings
- East Lock to Royal Dock Including Railings and Bollards
- Hydraulic Accumulator Tower to West of the Dock Tower
- West Lock to Royal Dock Including Railings and Bollards
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- Petersons Fish Processing and Smoking Factory
- Fish smoking factory (Quality Fish Company)
- Tom Taylor and Sons Shop and Warehouse
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- Fish Processing and Smoking Factory (Gh Abernethie Limited)
- Shop and Warehouse at Corner of Fish Dock Road, Hutton Road and Cross Street