Clock
tower, Pierhead Building, Cardiff Bay
The tower is known, unofficially, as 'Baby Big Ben' and the 'Big Ben of Wales', and is certainly an impressive culmination to the iconic edifice that is the Grade-I-listed Pierhead Building (more about the building itself in a future blog). Though the face of the tower clock is the original that was installed prior to the building's opening in 1897, the clock mechanism is not. That was replaced with an electronic motor sometime in the 1970s. The original mechanism, after some peregrinations, has recently been restored, and is now housed in a specially constructed glass case in Cardiff's St Mary Street (more on that in a forthcoming post).
Happy New Year, everyone! For 2026, I've decided to return my focus to the subjects listed in this blog's header, namely 'sprinklings of history, a smidgeon of genealogy, a dash of art, a dusting of architecture', as well as the eccentric fascinations I continue to develop. Short posts like today's, with a single, often black-and-white photograph, will be mixed, when time allows, with longer, more detailed blogs with additional illustrations. Thanks for following along.
