A richly modelled cast-iron clock commemorates members of the Fowler family while marking a key point in Ullapool's street grid.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1899; later inscription commemorates a death in 1915
- Architect / designer
- Probably manufactured by Walter Macfarlane and Company, Glasgow
- Type
- Four-faced cast-iron street clock and memorial
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB7791)
- OS grid reference
- NH 12795 94019
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
A square plinth carries a fluted column with paired lamp brackets. Above a Corinthian capital, four clock faces sit within a pedimented square head, finished by an urn and decorative weather vane. The compact vertical composition contrasts with the low waterfront streets.
Its story
The clock was erected in memory of Sir John Arthur Fowler of Braemore, who died in 1899 aged forty-four. Its commemoration was later extended to his son, Sir John Edward Fowler, killed in France in 1915. Historic Environment Scotland attributes the ironwork tentatively to Macfarlane's Glasgow foundry.
Why it is included
Category B listing protects an unusually elaborate piece of cast-iron civic furniture whose later inscription links local commemoration to the First World War.
What to notice
- The fluting and paired brackets on the column.
- A clock face presented to each side of the square head.
- The urn and pierced weather vane completing the silhouette.
Reading the surroundings
View from the public street while remaining aware of vehicles, cycles and other pedestrians. Do not climb the plinth or obstruct the junction; no claim is made that the mechanism keeps current time.
Timeline
- 25 March 1899 Sir John Arthur Fowler died at the age of forty-four.
- 1899 The cast-iron memorial was erected in Quay Street.
- 1915 A later dedication remembered Sir John Edward Fowler's wartime death.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The manufacturer is described as probable rather than certain, and no current inspection of the clock mechanism was found.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Ullapool Memorial Clock, LB7791 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Ullapool Harbour Trust: village map and history — Local waterfront and planned-village context for the public landmark.
Location
OS grid reference NH 12795 94019 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; an additional source confirms the Place relationship, history or current identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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