Timeball Tower Museum

Timeball Tower Museum, Victoria Parade, Deal, CT14 7BP

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1069907
Date first listed:: 08-Feb-1974
List Entry Name:: Timeball Tower Museum
Statutory Address:: Timeball Tower Museum, Victoria Parade, Deal, CT14 7BP

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Date:: 2002-08-14
Reference:: IOE01/08657/29
Rights:: © Mr Steve Dallison. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1069907
Date first listed:: 08-Feb-1974
List Entry Name:: Timeball Tower Museum
Statutory Address 1:: Timeball Tower Museum, Victoria Parade, Deal, CT14 7BP

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Timeball Tower Museum, Victoria Parade, Deal, CT14 7BP

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Kent
District:: Dover (District Authority)
Parish:: Deal
National Grid Reference:: TR 37801 52476

Details

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 07/10/2019

TR 3752 SE 4/180

Victoria Parade Timeball Tower Museum

(Formerly listed as Timeball Tower, BEACH STREET (West Side))

II Originally this building, situated at the entrance to the old Navy Yard, was one of 10 royal signal towers used to semaphore messages to the Admiralty from tile fleet at the Downs during the Napoleonic Wars. However, the semaphore line was never completed. Instead the semaphore tower became the headquarters for the coast blockade for the suppression of smuggling until 1831.

In 1855 the tower was adapted to form a Time-Ball Tower. At Greenwich in 1855 the 1st Time Ball was installed to enable ships on the Thames to check their chronometers. In 1855 a similar Time Ball of copper, mounted on a 14 ft mast was installed on top of the old semaphore station in Deal. At 12.55 pm every day the ball was raised halfway, at 12.57 pm it was raised to the top of the mast. At 1 pm at time-signal, direct from Greenwich, was used to operate a slave Shepherd clock at Deal. This relayed the signal to operate the mechanism and allow the ball to drop. This system was in operation until 1927 when it was replaced by wireless time signals.

Built 1820-21, four storeys stuccoed. Hipped slate roof. On top is a copper ball surmounted by a cross with the points of the compass on it and an arrow. Two sashes with glazing bars intact but modern metal casements and doorcase to ground floor.

Listing NGR: TR3780152476

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: 176935
Legacy System:: LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.