Clifton House

Clifton House is distinguished by its prominent central spire, clock, and bell, rising above the surrounding area in a quiet, landscaped setting. Constructed between seventeen seventy-one and seventeen seventy-four, the building was designed by architects Thomas Cooley and Robert Mylne to serve as the city’s first Poor House. Local legend suggests the design originated from a sketch on the back of a napkin by newspaper publisher Robert Joy, and the structure was built using clay found on the site itself.