Chronotower's Chronicles: Gargoyles and Semaphore Signals in Old St. Albans

The Clock Tower in St. Albans stands tall at 19.6 meters, a testament to the craftsmanship of 1403-1412. This Grade I monument, a defiant belfry, shares a yarn of contesting the abbey's power over town time. Alas, the top part of the St. Albans Eleanor Cross was toppled during the English Civil War, with the rest crumbling away in 1701-1702. During the Napoleonic Wars, the Clock Tower's roof became a semaphore station, sporting a small wooden watchpost during that era. This observation hut vanished in 1852. Today, the restored Clock Tower boasts cusped ogee windows, gargoyle guardians on each corner, and a capped turret. A spiral staircase of 93 steps grants access to the top floor which doubles as the rooftop.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons