The Hastings Clock

Summary

Commemorative clock of 1912, the mechanism by John Mason of Rotherham, the frame by Macfarlane & Co of Glasgow; for James Hastings. Moved to Walker Place, Rotherham, in 1969. Restored and returned to its original location in November 2013.

Reasons for Designation

The Hastings Clock of 1912 with a mechanism by John Mason of Rotherham and case by Macfarlane and Co of Glasgow, commissioned by James Hastings, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* as an imposing and ornate cast-iron commemorative clock with intricate decorative detailing, the square clock raised high on a quatrefoil column and surmounted by an elaborate openwork corona, with a horse trough at the base supported on three legs with fetlocks and hooves;
* as a multi-functional structure useful to all, combining a clock, lighting and fresh water via two drinking basins and a horse trough.

Historic interest:

* the clock was commissioned by local business man James Hastings, who presented it to the town in 1912 to commemorate the Coronation of King George V.
* the clock case was made by Macfarlane and Co of Glasgow who were renowned for the quality of their architectural ironwork both at home and abroad

Group value:

* it has group value due to proximity with the Grade II-listed Old School of Science and Art

History

The Hastings Clock was commissioned by local businessman, James Hastings, and presented to the town in commemoration of the coronation of King George V. The cast-iron clock case was made by Macfarlane and Co at their Saracen Foundry in Glasgow. The company was renowned for the quality of their intricate architectural ironwork, which they sold both at home and abroad. The case is a replica of their Jubilee clock in Douglas, Isle of Man, built in 1887 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. The clock mechanism was made by John Mason of Rotherham, clock makers who had been in business since the C17. Mason had a shop on the town’s High Street and he was also a councillor from the early 1880s and served as Mayor in 1888. The chiming bell was cast by John Taylor and Co at their Loughborough foundry.

In 1963 the clock was placed in storage and in 1969 it was relocated to Walker Place in Rotherham. In 2013 the clock was fully restored and then returned to its original location in Effingham Square in November 2013. When it was removed from Walker Place prior to restoration it was discovered that the sculpted horses’ hooves supporting the large drinking trough had not been lost as assumed, but had been buried below ground level. The restored clock structure was returned to its original height above ground level so that these features were again visible.

Details

Commemorative clock of 1912, with a mechanism by John Mason of Rotherham, and frame by Macfarlane and Co of Glasgow; for James Hastings. Moved to Walker Place, Rotherham, in 1969. Restored and returned to its original location in November 2013.

MATERIALS: cast iron (painted dark blue with gold detailing).

DESCRIPTION: not inspected, information from other sources.

The clock has a deep, tapered, octagonal pedestal. Above a plinth are eight faces with a band of quatrefoil decoration. Attached on the north-east side is a large semi-circular horse trough (now a planter) supported by three legs of sculpted fetlocks and hooves. At the same level there is a small, suspended drinking basin (now also a planter) on both the south-east and north-west sides, each with a trefoil shape cast in the panel between the basin and the projecting tap above. Above the quatrefoil band are eight chamfered faces and eight small rectangular panels with alternating triangular gablets. Six of the panels have blank arch and spandrel frames. The panel above the horse trough has a raised letter inscription: TO COMMEMORATE THE / CORONATION OF / KING GEORGE V / AND / QUEEN MARY and that above the south-east drinking basin states: PRESENTED BY / JAMES HASTINGS / OF ROTHERHAM. A quatrefoil column with a moulded base and an enriched foliate capital stands on the pedestal. At the midpoint are four pendant lights on decorative brackets and the column supports a square clock with faces to all four sides and a dentil cornice with acorn corner finials surmounted by an elaborate openwork corona terminating in a ball finial. The circular clock faces have Roman numerals with an opaque white glass background and decorative metalwork spandrels. A chiming bell is suspended in the centre of the corona.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

335711

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
White, D, Norman, E, Public Sculpture of Sheffield and South Yorkshire, Public Sculpture of Britain Volume Eighteen, PMSA National Recording Project, (2015), 72

Websites
Hastings Clock on the Memorial Drinking Fountains website database, accessed 07 October 2020 from https://memorialdrinkingfountains.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/hastings-clock/

End of official list entry

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