Timeball Tower, Beach Street, Deal

This building was originally at the entrance to the old Navy Yard. It was one of 10 royal signal towers used to semaphore messages to the Admiralty during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1855 the tower was adapted to form a Time-Ball Tower. The ball moved up and down and gave Greenwich Mean Time to ships on the Downs. This system was in operation until 1927.

Location

Kent Deal

Period

Georgian (1714 - 1836)

Tags

time ball navy signal communication Victorian (1837 - 1900) Georgian (1714 - 1836)