Aqua Horological Tintinnabulator

The Aqua Horological Tintinnabulator is a tall mechanical timepiece with four silver-white dials and gilded hands housed in Nottingham's Victoria Centre. The mechanism features rotating animated elements showing creatures like butterflies and frogs that come alive through water-powered mechanics.

An artist designed and built this water-powered clock in 1973 as a remarkable feat of mechanical engineering. Major restoration work returned it to working condition before moving to its present location in 2015.

Visitors have long made wishes by tossing coins into the water feature, creating a shared ritual that gave the installation a role as a social gathering space. This practice shaped how people experienced and remembered the place over decades.

The clock performs its mechanical movements every quarter hour, making it worth timing your visit to catch the animated display in action. Position yourself in the central area of the mall for the clearest view of all the rotating details.

The mechanism includes an unusually large gear wheel measuring two meters across, decorated with intricate spiderweb patterns and other ornamental details. Among the playful scenes depicted are a squirrel riding a flying fish and a peacock sailing in a boat.

Inception: 1973

Creator: Frederick Rowland Emett

GPS coordinates: 52.95600,-1.14703

Latest update: December 11, 2025 18:06