| Town Steeple, Inverness | |||||||
| Coordinates: | 56.7015°N -3.7199°W | ||||||
| Alternate Names: | Tolbooth Steeple | ||||||
| Location City: | Inverness | ||||||
| Location Country: | Scotland | ||||||
| Start Date: | 1789 | ||||||
| Completion Date: | 1791 | ||||||
| Destruction Date: | --> | ||||||
| Management: | or | ||||||
| Operator: | or | ||||||
| Governing Body: | --> | ||||||
| Height: | 43m (141feet) | ||||||
| Architect: | Alexander Laing | ||||||
| Footnotes: |
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Town Steeple, Inverness is a Category A listed[1] building in Inverness, Scotland.
The current structure replaced an ancient steeple which had existed since at least 1593. The building attached functioned as a tollbooth included a court and prison room. By 1692, the steeple also contained a clock which had been repaired by Thomas Kilgour.
The court and prison were rebuilt between 1789 and 1791; the old steeple was reported to be in a dangerous state and was rebuilt at the same time. The architect was Alexander Laing and the cost of construction was £1,598. A clock was provided for an additional £105 by Sir Hector Munro MP.
On 13 August 1816, the steeple was damaged by an earthquake.[2]
The attached court house and prison was demolished in 1853 and a row of shops replaced it, but the steeple was retained.
The steeple is built of ashlar and has seven stages. The current clock was built by James Bridges of Glasgow and the hour and quarters are struck on a set of three bells, with a ting-tang for the quarters. The mechanism of the clock was electrified in 1979 by James Ritchie and Sons of Edinburgh.[3]