Street Clock

Description

Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1904 for George Newnes Limited. The large double-fronted bracket clock is a conspicuous feature of the view toward the Strand. Its face originally bore the twelve letters ‘GEORGENEWNES’ in place of numerals marking the hours. The pedimented clock-case is of Baroque design and carved in dark wood. It is supported on a timber beam, treated as an entablature with a pulvinated frieze, breaking into a segmental curve below the clock, with a fretted pendant below containing cherubs’ heads facing each way. The border of the clock-case on each face is carved with garlands and flowers, with shells in the corners. The moulded surround rises from scrolls, which are supported on the backs of tortoises standing on the beam. The upper corners are eared and shouldered, between them the frame sweeps up into the tympanum with concave sides and flat top. Above the ears small triglyph-like corbels support the base mouldings of the pediment, the upper mouldings of which are formed by two curved members finishing in scrolls linked by garlands to an urn in the centre. The pierced tympanum has fretted carving in the lower part and contains a double-faced scrolled cartouche, supporting the urn and standing on the upswept clock-case frame. (Geograph, 2012)

The outdoor bracket clock which is to be seen in Southampton Street, Strand, is a delightful echo of the street clocks of the early eighteenth century, of which some good examples are still to be seen in the City of London. Mr. Lutyens is usually very sparing of carved ornament, but in this case he has used it freely. The general impression which one takes from a survey of these designs is of a rigid adherence to the spirit of traditional work combined with such personal variation in mouldings as are enough to proclaim the modern provenance of the furniture. (Weaver, 1913, p.316)

Bibliography

Geograph. Clock – No.3, Southampton Street, London. [Online] Available from: https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3010202

Weaver, L. (1913) Houses and Gardens by E L Lutyens. London: Country Life.

Also Cited In

TOWN CLOCKS. 1905. Country Life (Archive : 1901 – 2005), 17(438), pp. 731-734.

Listing Grade

N/A

Listing Reference

Client

George Newnes Ltd