Town's 'elegant' clock tower given listed status

BBC · Jul 20, 2026 15:20 · 2 min read

Goole's clock tower was built to reflect civic pride 100 years ago

Historic England highlight the Goole structure's "dignified, neoclassical design".

Goole's clock tower has been awarded Grade II listed status, as the town celebrates its 200th anniversary.

The tower was built as an expression of civic pride to mark the town's centenary in 1926.

Sarah Charlesworth, from Historic England, said: "Goole clock tower is landmark in the town, a real focal point and a fitting tribute to 200 years of Goole.

"It is an elegant structure and now it has reached its own century, it seems only right it has been given Grade II listed status."

Stephen Walker, who made the submission on behalf of Goole Civic Society, said: "It's a really nice way of getting it out across the UK that we're celebrating our 200th anniversary, and we've got some really nice buildings in the town, too.

"It's a little ambition I've had for a long while to get it listed, so it's nice to see it come together."

The clock tower was jointly funded by local people and the Aire and Calder Navigation Company, who each contributed £500. It was completed in 1927.

The clock tower has also been commemorated with a limited edition money box as part of the bicentennial celebrations

Walker said residents welcomed the listed status, adding it was important for Goole to be recognised for its historically significant buildings.

Historic England said it recommended the monument for listed status "on account of its dignified, neoclassical design, its rarity as a clock tower celebrating the centenary of a company town, and because it testifies to Goole's contribution to national economic growth and development".

An illustrated book celebrating the town's history also features the clock tower

Events to celebrate the town's bicentenary have taken place across the year, culminating in a weekend of celebrations.

Walker said the Goole 2026 community group, of which he is chair, has organised many of the celebrations to promote community cohesion, and bring back large-scale events which have largely been absent in recent years.

He said the group wanted to "get everybody involved over the weekend, get people out in the town and just really bring the community together and try and get a bit of a buzz going around town".

The town enacted a flotilla replicating the opening of the docks in 1826, pop up exhibitions, and also a riverside gala, running alongside arts events organised by East Riding of Yorkshire Council's Goole 200 group.

Walker added: "We also commissioned a children's book by local artist and illustrator Peter Scott. Over the last week we have gifted just short of 1,800 children's books to all the local primary school children."

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