Albert Clock, Queens Square, Belfast, County Antrim, BT1 3FG

Albert Clock, Queens Square, Belfast

A freestanding memorial clock tower built in 1869 to commemorate Prince Albert, designed by W.J. Barre in a mix of French and Italian Gothic style. Located in Queen's Square at the junction of Victoria Street and Custom House Square, east of Belfast city centre, the tower stands approximately 110 feet tall and has a slight lean off the perpendicular. It is constructed largely of ashlar Scrabo sandstone, with several ornamental elements reinstated around 2000.

The tower comprises a base, shaft, clock stage and belfry stage. The rectangular base is three-tiered and tapers upwards. Each tier features crocketted and gabletted flying buttresses at the centre and corners; the corner buttresses support heraldic lions bearing a shield carved with the letter 'A'. The third stage of the base is enriched with a Gothic arcade carried on slender colonettes with foliated capitals, with each spandrel carved with an individually detailed roundel. The entrance is positioned at the east side, replacing the central buttress. It comprises a steeply pitched stone porch with a blind roundel in the tympanum above a square-headed doorway with chamfered jambs topped with foliate carving. The door itself is riveted double-leaf timber latticework with diamond-pointed panels to the lower section and openwork panels above, inset with mesh and ironwork lattice detail.

The shaft is plainly detailed with three giant pilasters to each side, featuring foliate capitals that punctuate a narrow machicolated-style frieze. Praying angels occupy each corner. To the west elevation stands a Portland stone statue of Prince Albert, carved by S.F. Lynn, mounted on a richly embellished corbelled base rising from clustered polished granite colonettes above the central buttress. The base is enriched with finely carved stone angels, and the statue is surmounted by a richly detailed Gothic canopy.

The clock stage projects slightly over an arcaded frieze and foliated cornice. It comprises a recessed circular clock face on each side, with moulded reveals inset with crockets and delicate arabesque carving to the spandrels. Cusped panelled piers at each corner rise to foliated capitals and support a further Gothic arcaded frieze and enriched cornice. The clock faces are made of opaque glass with ironwork hands and numerals, partially gilded.

The octagonal bell tower is decorated with openwork crocketted pinnacles at the corners and topped with a pyramidal roof. A pierced parapet surrounds the belfry, which has a cusped Gothic opening to each facet, clasped by corner pilasters with a foliate cornice and enriched gablet above. Stone gargoyles project from each angle. The roof is topped with a gilded finial supporting a weathervane.

The tower is enclosed by cast-iron railings bearing a maker's mark for Riddell, and is surrounded by paving and public realm works. Adjacent listed buildings include Trustee Savings Bank to the north; Transport House to the north west; St George's Church to the south west; Custom House and McHugh's Bar to the east.