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King Alfred's Tower
Folly tower in Somerset, England / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Alfred's Tower is a folly in Somerset,[1][2] England, on the edge of the border with Wiltshire, on the Stourhead estate. The tower stands on Kingsettle Hill and belongs to the National Trust. It is designated as a Grade I listed building.
Alfred's Tower | |
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![]() Alfred's Tower, August 2006 | |
General information | |
Town or city | Brewham, Somerset |
Country | England |
Coordinates | 51°06′53″N 2°21′54″W |
Construction started | 1769 |
Completed | 1772 |
Client | Henry Hoare |
Height | 49 metres (161 ft) |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Henry Flitcroft |
Henry Hoare II planned the tower in the 1760s to commemorate the end of the Seven Years' War against France and the accession of King George III, and it was erected near the site of Egbert's Stone, where it is believed that Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, rallied the Anglo-Saxons in 878 before the Battle of Edington. The tower was damaged by an aeroplane in 1944 and restored in the 1980s.
The 49-metre-high (161 ft) triangular tower has a hollow centre and is climbed by means of a spiral staircase in one of the corner projections. It has a statue of King Alfred and a dedication inscription.