Rapunzel Diaries 1 : Lindley Clock Tower

Lindley Clock Tower, Huddersfield

Imagine lying in bed over one hundred years ago. The central heating hasn't come on because it hasn't been invented and anyway you wouldn't be able to afford it. It's dark and cold. And then the bell tolls. For whom does it toll? Well it tolls for you. Lindley Clock Tower tolls for you. Get up and go to work in the local mill, your alarm clock has gone off. It may be a very tall and big but it's your alarm clock nevertheless.

An alarm clock slightly bigger than the one at 88

Well that's what folklore would have us believe at any rate. James Sykes, a local mill owner, had Lindley Clock Tower built in 1902 by Edgar Wood. It's 83 feet high and built in the Art Nouveau style. Wood, originally from Middleton near Manchester, added all sorts of symbolic features to the tower. Above the doorway is Time and to the left Youth sowing the seed and to the right Old Age reaping.

At the top of the tower are gargoyles in the shapes of dogs representing 'The beasts fleeing from the towers of time' : the lazy, vicious, cunning and greedy dogs.....whatever that means?

I think it's the closest I've ever got to a Rapunzel Tower. It's a good climb winding round and round up to a little enclosed room with views 360 degree views. Rapunzel could feasibly let down her hair from up there.

It's not a 10 out of 10 tower as I like to get out into the elements on my towers and have uninterrupted panoramic views but it comes pretty near.

The Tower is only open on certain days of the year. I climbed it on the Heritage Open Weekend last September.