The clock tower, built from Bath stone and grey limestone ashlar, was completed in 1908 by architect John Donkin and builder F. Stemson. Distinctive statues of Hope, Faith and Peace are mounted on octagonal pinnacles - one on each side of the building and supported by flying buttresses. There is a clock on every side of the tower, each enwreathed by carved foliage. Atop the tower is a conical pinnacle with a ball and weather vane.
ATTRACTIONS
Lowman Green Clock Tower
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The Lowman Green Clock Tower is an iconic image of Tiverton and likely the best known monument in the town. Gifted with the surrounding land to the town by local man Thomas Ford JP in 1907, the three-sided clock tower - built in an Edwardian Gothic Revival architectural style - is now a Grade II listed buidling.
On the ground floor of the tower is a storage room with the exterior sides having a recessed moulded arch with a gable above. There is original stained glass in two of the windows and on the third side there is a half-glazed oak door, also with original stained glass. Slip windows with original stained glass are within Bath stone panels on the upper stages and there are two carved shields, one showing the borough arms and the other the date of completion.
On one side of the tower at the lower level is a plaque dedicated to Thomas Ford who was Mayor of Tiverton from 1881 to 1883.
In 2008 the clock tower was handed back to Tiverton by Mid Devon County Council. The clock tower has recently been cleaned and restored by an anonymous donor.
Location
Lowman Green, Tiverton, Devon
Historic Categorisations and Statutes
Statutory Heritage Listing
Grade: II (Grade Two). This indicates it is a "nationally important building of special interest." The majority of listed buildings in England fall into this category.
List Entry Number: 1384897
Date First Listed: February 12, 1952
Significance: It is protected as a distinctive Victorian landmark, noted for its "English Bond" red brickwork, limestone dressings, and its decorative Gothic Revival style typical of late 19th-century public monuments.
Local Designations
Commemorative Significance: The tower serves as a prominent focal point for the town, gifted to Tiverton by John Coles of London to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897.
Conservation Area: The tower is a major landmark within the Tiverton Conservation Area, acting as a visual gateway between the historic town center and the Lowman bridge crossing.
Site Components & Heritage Records
Clock Tower Structure: A three-stage brick tower featuring a clock face on each side, topped with a weather vane and intricate masonry detailing.
Drinking Fountain: The base originally incorporated a granite drinking fountain, reflecting Victorian philanthropic efforts to provide clean water.
Historic Environment Record (HER): It is indexed in the Devon & Dartmoor HER under ID MDV1364.
Chronology of Historic Uses
1897: Erected to celebrate Queen Victoria’s 60-year reign.
Early 20th Century: Served as a public drinking fountain and central timekeeping point for the Lowman Green area.
WWII: Survived local aerial bombardment and remained a town landmark throughout the conflict.
1970s–1980s: Underwent various restoration efforts to maintain the clock mechanism and clean the brickwork.
Current/Recent: Remains a functional public clock and a highly photographed historic monument maintained by the local council.
