Haymarket Memorial Clock Tower facts for kids

The Clock Tower

The Haymarket Memorial Clock Tower is a well-known landmark in Leicester, England. It's a popular place for people to meet up. You can find it right in the middle of the city, where five main streets come together. These streets are Gallowtree Gate, Humberstone Gate (A47), Haymarket (A607), Church Gate (A6), and Eastgates (A47).

Building the Clock Tower

Before the Clock Tower was built, this spot had a building called the Assembly Room. It was built in 1750 and later divided into shops. People started calling it "the Haymarket Obstruction" because it got in the way.

In 1862, after many local property owners complained, the building was taken down. The area was also used for selling hay, but this market moved to Humberstone Gate.

After the old building and market were gone, the area became wide and busy. It was hard for people to cross safely because of all the traffic. Local businesses wanted to put up a clock with lights and a large statue of a helpful person named Sir Thomas White.

In 1867, a group was formed to raise money for this project. John Burton, who owned a photography shop nearby, led the effort. They collected donations and held a concert to get more money.

Architects were asked to design an "ornamental structure" that would be about 35 to 40 feet tall. It needed to have four clock faces that lit up, four small statues or busts of important people from the town, and a platform about 18 feet square. It also needed lamps to help pedestrians stay safe.

They received 105 designs! Three were chosen and shown to the town council. The design by Joseph Goddard was picked. Many people donated money, and the rest of the GB£1,200 needed was provided by the Corporation of Leicester.

The Clock Tower was built in 1868. It was mostly made from Ketton stone, with a base of Mountsorrel granite. It also has shiny columns made of Peterhead granite and serpentine. The statues on the tower are made from Portland stone. The tower was built right over two of the city's main sewers, which had to be changed before construction began.

The Clock Tower is officially a memorial. It has four statues, one on each corner. These statues honor two people who were very important to Leicester and two famous people from Leicester. Their names are written on the base of each statue: Simon de Montfort, Thomas White, William Wyggeston (spelled 'William Wigston' on the tower), and Gabriel Newton.

Changes Around the Clock Tower

When the Clock Tower was first built, traffic in the area was mostly horse-drawn carriages. Between 1903 and 1904, tram lines were added.

The Clock Tower was originally an island in the middle of a five-way intersection. In 1926, it became the center of a roundabout, which was one of the first in the UK.

In the 1930s, some people wanted the tower to be taken down because of the increasing traffic. In the 1960s, there were ideas to move it to Victoria Park. But even with big changes in the area, like the building of the Haymarket Shopping Centre, the Clock Tower has stayed put.

Now, some streets like Humberstone Gate and Gallowtree Gate are for pedestrians only, meaning no cars are allowed. The Clock Tower is now surrounded by a road only on its northern side.

In 1992, the tower was repaired and cleaned up by architects and engineers Pick Everard. They largely paid for this work to celebrate their company's 125th anniversary.

In the early 2000s, Leicester City Council made plans to make the Clock Tower area even better. They wanted to clear away clutter and create a beautiful public space in the heart of the city. This work was finished in late 2008.

The tower is a Grade II listed building, which means it's a historically important structure. In 2010, the clock started losing time, so its inner workings were repaired.

Important People on the Tower

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  Simon de Montfort was a powerful earl who lived a long time ago.

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  William Wigston was a merchant who helped set up a hospital and school in Leicester.

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  Thomas White was a wealthy merchant who left money to help young people in Leicester.

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  Gabriel Newton was a local man who left money to help educate poor children.