Commemorative tower/folly. 1766. Flemish bond brickwork with red
stretchers and grey headers; Chilmark stone dressings. Triangular on plan
with circular turrets to each corner, sides about 13 metres long; tower in
4 stages totalling some 40 metres high. Stepped stone plinth, string
courses, cornice and battlemented parapets: South West turret a taller
stair turret with small lancet windows, 2 to outer and 3 to middle stages;
corbelled balcony without railing, to small circular chamber having open
slit windows. North East face has a plain surround pointed arch to
doorway, with plinth and impost blocks, framing C20 metal doors; above a
trefoil arch headed panel with inscription reading: 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 Lion of a (benighted) Age/Was a Philosopher
and a Christian/The Father of his People/The Founder of the
English/MONARCHY and LIBERTY. Above this a corbelled plinth at first
string course level, the base to a segmental niche with triple column
pilasters, and canopied, with poppy head finials; in the recess a more
than life size statue of King Alfred in semi-armour, the right forearm
currently missing (September 1983). The tower built by Henry Hoare (the
Younger) of Stourhead, Wiltshire, as one of the many features on that
estate.
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