Rowland Emett Clock

Charming and awesome clock.

Nottinghams musical 1970’s water clock. might be a little tired now for locals, but still nice to see and hear.

This must be one of the best known clocks in Nottingham. With its hourly charming and dancing its the thing that memories are made of. I remember as a small girl visiting this clock with grandparents, 5 minutes before the hour, to ensure that you had a good view. I would stand in awe at its beauty and how the dancing bits of metal would cast shimmers across the floor of the Victoria Centre. Many coins have been tossed into the waters of this clock /​fountain, so many a wish would of been made. I know i made a few.

I was around when this was first built (sigh!) and loved it!
It was a firm favourite with my mum and with my children too. We would have to wait until it chilmed each time we went past it. We missed lots of buses this way!
One of Nottinghams’ better decisions it would be nice to think we could have some more sculpture around the town.
xx

Shop in Nottinghams Victoria Centre and families will be standing around the clock in anticipation.
When the Victoria Centre was built, it was decided to have some distinctive, preferably unique, feature which would provide a focal point. Rowland Emett, famous for his three-​dimensional creations, including the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car, was commissioned to make such a feature.
What he called an ‘Aqua Horological Tintinnabulator’ stands at the south end on the lower mall and was specially designed to be visible from both malls and to provide constant movement coupled with the gentle sound of fountains playing.
Four clock faces, 23 feet above the pool, are supported by a typical Emett moving world of silver squirrels, birds, butterflies, frogs, and a large sunflower. Each hour and half hour is struck on a bell whereupon the sunflower opens to reveal a sextet of bird and squirrel musicians who march in a circle, spinning round while the music is heard.
I think it’s greatI love Emetts work.