architecture, belvedere, Cumbria, eyecatcher, Folly, museum, Observatory, Tower

Braystones Tower, or Watson’s Folly, Braystones, Cumbria

In the late 19th century Braystones was a peaceful hamlet close to the Cumberland coast with views out across the Irish Sea. It was here that William Henry Watson built a tower to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897. Half a century later, the view would change dramatically: were one able to climb the tower today the eye would be first caught by the great mass that is the Sellafield Nuclear Plant.

William Henry Watson (1859-1934) was the son of a Bolton ‘analytical chemist’, Henry Hough Watson (1810-1886), whose success had enabled him to buy a seaside retreat at Braystones, ten miles south of Whitehaven, which was newly accessible with the coming of the railway. Henry Hough Watson, a Fellow of the Chemical Society, was chemist to the Bolton Gas Company, and advisor to many of the waterworks companies supplying fresh water to Lancashire towns. But he was best known locally as the scientist the police turned to in cases of murder by poisoning, most of which were reported in lurid detail in the local papers.

William Henry Watson also trained as an analytical chemist, but with his father’s wealth behind him he was able to live the life of a gentleman. As well as being a dedicated public servant, he could indulge his interests in geology, meteorology, painting, photography, and the antique.

The tower as featured in the The Whitehaven News report on the opening ceremony in June 1897

He was also devoted to his monarch, and as the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria’s ascension to the throne approached, he decided to mark the occasion with a 30 foot high tower. Either side of the door stood a pair of cannon which were apparently sent from the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich and ‘bearing date the year of Waterloo’. From the rooftop the views (with the usual proviso ‘on a clear day’) took in Scafell Pike, St Bees Head, the Isle of Man and the ‘Scotch hills’. A plaque records that the tower was erected:

IN HONOUR OF THE QUEEN, AND IN COMMEMORATION OF HER DIAMOND JUBILEE, SIXTY YEARS REIGN, 1837-1897, OF HER GLORIOUS MAJESTY VICTORIA, QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, THIS TOWER WAS ERECTED BY WILLIAM HENRY WATSON, OF BRAYSTONES ESQUIRE, AND OPENED BY JOHN QUAYLE, FOR THIRTY-SIX YEARS OVERSEER OF THIS PARISH, AND BY THOMAS JENKINSON AND EDWARD STEELE, CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE FIRST PARISH COUNCIL. THE 22nd DAY JUNE 1897

The rather austere tower was officially opened on Tuesday 22 June, the day of the Jubilee, and there were great celebrations. The proceedings began at noon with the firing of a signal rocket, and after the speeches a choir of schoolchildren sang hymns from the top of the tower, before a magnificent firework finale.

As well as honouring his monarch, Watson had also built the tower to house his ‘collection of antiquarian objects’. In 1899 the contents of the nearby Distington Museum were sold, and Watson bought pieces for his collection. Other items came from a variety of sources: stone troughs were unearthed nearby and neolithic axe-heads and stone tools were found when the local tarn was drained. Most curious was an accession in 1902: men working for G. Patrickson of Ulverston found ‘what is supposed to be a fossilised human foot’, and it was ceremoniously presented to the museum.

In 1920 Watson added a second plaque to the tower commemorating the local men who lost their lives in the First World War, and honouring those who served and survived.

St Bridget, Beckermet

Watson died at Braystones in May 1934 and was buried in nearby St Bridget’s, Beckermet. His gravestone, now a little overgrown, records his dedication to public service:

WILLIAM HENRY WATSON
OF BRAYSTONES,
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE FOR THIS COUNTY
YOUNGER SON OF
HENRY HOUGH AND JANE WATSON.
HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE CUMBERLAND
COUNTY COUNCIL, & OF THE STANDING
JOINT & POLICE COMMITTEES OF THIS
COUNTY, & FOR 39 YEARS , OF THE
WHITEHAVEN UNION BOARD OF GUARDIANS
DISTRICT COUNCIL. ALSO ONE OF THE
PERMANENT COMMITTEE OF THE BRITISH
ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF
SCIENCE , & A FELLOW OF THE GEOLOGICAL
& CHEMICAL SOCIETIES OF LONDON
BORN MARCH 15TH 1859
DIED MAY 19TH 1934

Who wrote this magnificent account of his achievements? His family? A fellow member of one of the many committees? No! It is entirely autobiographical. So determined was Watson to ensure his work was remembered, that he had his entry on the family gravestone carved during his lifetime, leaving only the date of his death to be added after his demise. The story reached the press, and far away on the opposite coast the Hull Daily Mail ran the story under the headline ‘Epitaph Carved in Advance: How a Magistrate Made Sure’.

Rural Braystones in the first decade of the 20th century. Image courtesy of Carlisle Library, Cumbria Image Bank (T.P. Dawson)

Little more than a decade after Wilson’s death, the tranquil hamlet of Braystones would be overshadowed by the development of the nuclear plant at Windscale, later renamed Sellafield. Today the Jubilee Tower is an empty shell, with no public access allowed, although it is easily viewed from the roadside.

The Beacon Museum in Whitehaven has 2 portraits of Wilson (not on display). After a truly determined attempt The Folly Flâneuse failed to get permission to feature one in this piece, but you can see him here  https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/william-henry-watson-143335

Thanks for reading. Please scroll down to the comments box if you have any thoughts or further information.

 

 

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12 thoughts on “Braystones Tower, or Watson’s Folly, Braystones, Cumbria”

  1. Moira Garland says:

    Enjoying Folly Flaneuse since I was directed to it by a friend a few months ago. I hope to get to some of these places in future.

    1. Editor says:

      Hello Moira. I’m happy to hear you are enjoying the folly stories. I hope you are able to see some for yourself soon.

  2. Gwyn says:

    I’ve never even heard of this. I feel suitably humiliated. The Beacon Museum must have an implacable curator to resist any truly determined attempt by La Flâneuse.

    Does this mean my Saturday morning treat has come a day early?

    1. Editor says:

      Yes a day early for logistical reasons! Normal service will be resumed next week. Isn’t it a great discovery. I came across it completely by accident. The curator had to get permission from the ‘legal department’ which never replied. Hope you clicked the link though, he’s a distinguished-looking chap.

    2. Dai says:

      I lived in Braystone for a couple of years in a stone cottage just up the road from this. My landlord said his uncle (or great uncle) built the tower and also the cottage I rented. Which he has owned since his uncle died. You can walk up to it but it does say entry restricted to the fishing club. But I’m sure they wouldn’t mind. 😀

      1. Editor says:

        Hello Dai. It’s a tranquil place, you must have enjoyed living there. Thanks for sharing your memories.

  3. John D says:

    Great post, lovely to know more about something I knew of but know nothing about (… as so often…). Mean of the Beacon not to give permission for you to reproduce a portrait, especially when they’re not displaying them themselves.

    1. Editor says:

      I only discovered it recently, a happy find when I was looking for something else. I don’t know why the Beacon was so unhelpful. I exchanged countless emails but the curator referred it to the ‘legal department’ which never responded. Isn’t he every inch the local bigwig? A great portrait.

  4. Graham Hackney says:

    What a shame that the Braystones Tower is an empty shell, would make a lovely viewing tower for the public to use, even though one view would be Sellafield, I would pay to go up it for sure!

    1. Editor says:

      Hello Graham. There were reports that it might be restored to allow access a few years ago, but nothing seems to have happened, and I couldn’t find out more locally. The views would certainly offer much of interest, as you say. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

  5. richard says:

    Maybe I’ve missed it but I would add the Lever Bros connection and Sunlight soap, Lux flakes and Vim.

    1. Editor says:

      Hello Richard. I did come across a mention of a Lever Brothers connection when I was researching this post, but I wasn’t able to find any hard evidence so I didn’t include it. If you have further information I would love to hear from you and I can update the post.

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