King Alfred's Tower
Encyclopedia
King Alfred's Tower or The Folly of King Alfred the Great is in the parish of Brewham
, Somerset
, and was built as part of the celebrated Stourhead
estate and landscape. The tower stands on Kingsettle Hill and nowadays belongs to the National Trust
. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a grade I listed building.
The tower stands near the location of 'Egbert's stone' where it is believed that Alfred the Great
, King of Wessex, rallied the Saxons
in May 878 before the important Battle of Ethandun, where the Danish army, led by Guthrum the Old
was defeated.
The project to build the tower was conceived in 1762 by the banker Henry Hoare
II (1705-1785). The tower was also intended to commemorate the end of the Seven Years' War
against France and the accession of King George III
.
The tower was designed in 1765 by Henry Flitcroft
, the notable 18th-century Palladian
architect, and despite the inspiration from St. Mark's Tower in Venice
, this tower is rather different. Building began in 1769 or early 1770, and was completed in 1772 at an estimated cost of between £5,000 and £6,000. In April 1770, when the tower was just 4.7 metres (15 ft) high, Hoare is quoted as saying: 'I hope it will be finished in as happy Times to this Isle as Alfred finished his Life of Glory in then I shall depart in peace.'
The tower is 49 metres (161 ft) high, and is triangular in plan, with round projections at each of the three corners. One of these, furthest from the entrance door, has a spiral staircase within it by which visitors can climb the 205 steps to the top, where there is a platform with a crenellated parapet
. The staircase is not well illuminated, with only ten small openings to admit a little daylight. The centre of the tower is hollow and open to the elements; in recent years a mesh has been placed over the opening at the top to prevent birds from entering the tower. The total girth of the tower is approximately 51 metres (167 ft), which means that the tower's circumference and height are about the same. From the top you may see as far as Hinkley Point power station
(about 50 miles (80 km) away) on a clear day.
The 'front' (south-east) face of the tower has the gothic-arched
entrance door, a statue of King Alfred, and a stone panel bearing an inscription. This is the face that most visitors see first when walking from Stourhead
garden or from the nearby car park.
The stone tablet above the door on the east face of the tower reads:
The tower was damaged in 1944 when an aeroplane, a Noorduyn Norseman
, crashed into it, resulting in the death of the five aircrew. It was restored in 1986, which included the use of a Wessex helicopter
to lower a 300 kilograms (47 st) stone onto the top. The statue of King Alfred was also restored at this time, including the replacement of his right forearm which was missing.
It is the start of the Leland trail
a 28 miles (45.1 km) footpath which runs from King Alfred's Tower to Ham Hill Country Park
.
Brewham
Brewham is a civil parish in Somerset, England, consisting of the villages of North Brewham and South Brewham, on either side of the river in the Brue Valley east of Bruton and south-west of Frome in the South Somerset district. The parish has a population of 410.-History:The name of the...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, and was built as part of the celebrated Stourhead
Stourhead
Stourhead is a 2,650 acre estate at the source of the River Stour near Mere, Wiltshire, England. The estate includes a Palladian mansion, the village of Stourton, gardens, farmland, and woodland...
estate and landscape. The tower stands on Kingsettle Hill and nowadays belongs to the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a grade I listed building.
The tower stands near the location of 'Egbert's stone' where it is believed that Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch still to be accorded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself...
, King of Wessex, rallied the Saxons
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
in May 878 before the important Battle of Ethandun, where the Danish army, led by Guthrum the Old
Guthrum
The name Guthrum corresponds to Norwegian Guttom and to Danish Gorm.The name Guthrum may refer to these kings:* Guthrum, who fought against Alfred the Great* Gorm the Old of Denmark and Norway* Guthrum II, a king of doubtful historicity...
was defeated.
The project to build the tower was conceived in 1762 by the banker Henry Hoare
Henry Hoare
Henry Hoare II , known as Henry the Magnificent, was an English banker and garden owner-designer.-Career:Born the son of Henry Hoare I and educated at Westminster School, Henry Hoare dominated the Hoare family through his wealth and personal charisma. Henry was a partner for nearly 60 years in C...
II (1705-1785). The tower was also intended to commemorate the end of the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
against France and the accession of King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
.
- Alfred's Tower is a monument to the genius of English landscape, many of whose loveliest haunts it commands, and to a man who certainly deserves to be remembered as among the great benefactors of the English scene. - Christopher HusseyChristopher HusseyChristopher Edward Clive Hussey was one of the chief authorities on British domestic architecture of the generation that also included Dorothy Stroud and Sir John Summerson.- Career :...
, Country LifeCountry Life (magazine)Country Life is a British weekly magazine, based in London at 110 Southwark Street, and owned by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.- Topics :The magazine covers the pleasures and joys of rural life, as well as the concerns of rural people...
, 11th June 1938.
The tower was designed in 1765 by Henry Flitcroft
Henry Flitcroft
Henry Flitcroft was a major English architect in the second generation of Palladianism. He came from a simple background: his father was a labourer in the gardens at Hampton Court and he began as a joiner by trade. Working as a carpenter at Burlington House, he fell from a scaffold and broke his leg...
, the notable 18th-century Palladian
Palladian architecture
Palladian architecture is a European style of architecture derived from the designs of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio . The term "Palladian" normally refers to buildings in a style inspired by Palladio's own work; that which is recognised as Palladian architecture today is an evolution of...
architect, and despite the inspiration from St. Mark's Tower in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, this tower is rather different. Building began in 1769 or early 1770, and was completed in 1772 at an estimated cost of between £5,000 and £6,000. In April 1770, when the tower was just 4.7 metres (15 ft) high, Hoare is quoted as saying: 'I hope it will be finished in as happy Times to this Isle as Alfred finished his Life of Glory in then I shall depart in peace.'
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
. The staircase is not well illuminated, with only ten small openings to admit a little daylight. The centre of the tower is hollow and open to the elements; in recent years a mesh has been placed over the opening at the top to prevent birds from entering the tower. The total girth of the tower is approximately 51 metres (167 ft), which means that the tower's circumference and height are about the same. From the top you may see as far as Hinkley Point power station
Hinkley Point B nuclear power station
Hinkley Point B is a nuclear power station near Bridgwater, Somerset, on the Bristol Channel coast of south west England.-History:The construction of Hinkley Point B, which was undertaken by a consortium known as The Nuclear Power Group , started in 1967. The reactors were supplied by TNPG and the...
(about 50 miles (80 km) away) on a clear day.
The 'front' (south-east) face of the tower has the gothic-arched
Ogive
An ogive is the roundly tapered end of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional object.-Applied physical science and engineering:In ballistics or aerodynamics, an ogive is a pointed, curved surface mainly used to form the approximately streamlined nose of a bullet or other projectile.The traditional...
entrance door, a statue of King Alfred, and a stone panel bearing an inscription. This is the face that most visitors see first when walking from Stourhead
Stourhead
Stourhead is a 2,650 acre estate at the source of the River Stour near Mere, Wiltshire, England. The estate includes a Palladian mansion, the village of Stourton, gardens, farmland, and woodland...
garden or from the nearby car park.
- "ALFRED THE GREAT
- AD 879 on this Summit
- Erected his Standard
- Against Danish Invaders
- To him We owe The Origin of Juries
- The Establishment of a Militia
- The Creation of a Naval Force
- ALFRED The Light of a Benighted Age
- Was a Philosopher and a Christian
- The Father of his People
- The Founder of the English
- MONARCHY and LIBERTY"
The tower was damaged in 1944 when an aeroplane, a Noorduyn Norseman
Noorduyn Norseman
The Noorduyn Norseman is a Canadian single-engine bush plane designed to operate from unimproved surfaces. Norseman aircraft are known to have been registered and/or operated in 68 countries throughout the world and also have been based and flown in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.-Design and...
, crashed into it, resulting in the death of the five aircrew. It was restored in 1986, which included the use of a Wessex helicopter
Westland Wessex
The Westland Wessex is a British turbine-powered version of the Sikorsky S-58 "Choctaw", developed under license by Westland Aircraft , initially for the Royal Navy, and later for the Royal Air Force...
to lower a 300 kilograms (47 st) stone onto the top. The statue of King Alfred was also restored at this time, including the replacement of his right forearm which was missing.
It is the start of the Leland trail
Leland trail
The Leland Trail, a footpath in Somerset, England. It runs from King Alfred's Tower in Penselwood to Ham Hill Country Park.-History:The path was established by creating rights of way via tracks and lanes. It is named after John Leland who visited South Somerset during the years 1535 - 1543...
a 28 miles (45.1 km) footpath which runs from King Alfred's Tower to Ham Hill Country Park
Ham Hill Country Park
Ham Hill is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest , Scheduled Ancient Monument, Iron Age hill fort, Roman site, Local Nature Reserve and country park, to the west of Yeovil in Somerset, England....
.