Part 1 starts with the area of the city centre known as the Merchant City. First off is the marvellous but slightly mad Tolbooth Steeple, a real landmark at the junction of High Street and Trongate. Built in 1625-27, it was originally part of city gateway. The clock has a very simple and clear face in blue and gold which is visually impressive and easy to read, and more importantly keeps the right time.
Impressive on its own, but just around the corner is the Tron Steeple which has a very European feel to it, especially its pink colouring. The steeple is now part of the Tron Theatre on Trongate. Once again, a very simple but impressive and effective clock-face design, and also keeping true time.
These two clock steeples are worth a visit to Glasgow on their own. But we have plenty of other clocks to see.
The next example is on Hutcheson's Hall on Ingram Street (not surprisingly opposite the end of Hutcheson Street), built in 1802-05. Unlike the two steeples, this is more of a proper building with a clock tower, but lets itself down by having a stopped clock.
The theme so far seems to be big pointy things with blue clocks. So lets have some more....
This is St Andrews parish church, or St Andrews in the Square, of 1739-56. A great tower with a clockface in good condition. Unfortunately the time seems to be stuck at 12.12.
The clock on St Andrews can be clearly seen from Glasgow Green (which we will return to in a later posting), as can our next clock on Merchant's Steeple. This tower of 1665 continues the blue and gold theme, and is one of the most useful stopped clocks in Glasgow - its four faces all show a different time, so it is right eight times a day!
Enough of big pointy things with blue clocks. Here's a big pointy thing with a white clock:
This is the tower of the Royal Infirmary, but as you can see it is not a timepiece to rely upon. A good excuse for being late for your out-patient's appointment I suppose.
And so the the end of Part 1. More clocks of Glasgow coming soon in Part 2.
Do you know why the clock faces are blue?
ReplyDeleteDo you know why the clock faces are blue?
ReplyDeleteI don't know of any particular reason why they are blue. The colour is not that uncommon on clocks elsewhere. But if anyone knows if there is a plan please let us know.
ReplyDeleteApparently it was a sign of wealth. Blue pigment in paint was very rare and expensive back in the day.
DeleteA very old Royal decree that, following God's command to Moses (Exodus 39) to make Aaron the priest "garments of blue with gold bells", church clocks should be "blew with the signs upon them gilt".
ReplyDeleteThe Scottish flag is blue. Perhaps there is also some sense of nationalism?
ReplyDelete