Cranmore Tower

Cranmore Tower
Location within Somerset
General information
Town or city Cranmore, Somerset
Country England
Coordinates 51°12′09″N 2°27′58″W / 51.2026°N 2.4662°W / 51.2026; -2.4662
Construction started 1862
Completed 1864
Client John Moore Paget
Technical details
Size 45 metres (148 ft)
Design and construction
Architect Henry Goodridge
Engineer William Witcombe

The Cranmore Tower is a 45 metres (148 ft) tall 19th century folly in the parish of Cranmore, Somerset, England.[1] The site is 280 metres (919 ft) above sea level, and is the highest point on the Mendip Way.

The tower was built in 1862-1864, by Thomas Henry Wyatt for John Moore Paget of Cranmore Hall (now part of All Hallows Preparatory School). There is a viewing area at the top with pair of semi-circular headed openings to each face with a restored iron-railed balcony beneath each pair. A similar balcony just over halfway up is continued right round the tower. It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II listed building.[2]

In World War II it was used as a lookout tower by the Home Guard and the Royal Corps of Signals.[3]

By 1984 the tower had fallen into disrepair and was sold to Donald Beaton who undertook repairs. During the course of the repairs the remains of a Roman fort with a hoard of coins was discovered adjacent to the tower. In 1988 it was sold again, this time to Nick Ridge who opened it to the public.[3] The tower was then acquired by followers of the Baha'i Faith. Further restorations were carried out, including the installation of a new timber staircase to allow access to the balconies at the top of the tower at a height of 320 metres (1,050 ft) above sea level. From early 2008 the tower has been again open to the public, in particular being marketed as a romantic setting for proposals of marriage. A small fee is usually charged to ascend the tower which is open on weekends, bank and school holidays and by arrangement.

References

  1. ↑ "Cranmore Tower". Cranmore Tower. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  2. ↑ "Cranmore Tower". Images of England. Retrieved 2008-03-25.
  3. 1 2 Holt, Jonathan (2007). Somerset Follies. Bath: Akeman Press. p. 72. ISBN 978-0-9546138-7-7.
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