Comments on: Brizlee Tower, Alnwick, Northumberland

By: Baby House Towers, Whalley, Lancashire (via a bit of trigonometry) – The Folly Flâneuse

Fri, 01 May 2020 07:21:07 +0000

[…] Were a convenient church spire not available, the surveyors would occasionally have to make do. Thus two of the more unusual locations were ‘Chimney on the north side of Mr. Evered’s House’, and the rather vague sounding ‘Clump of Trees near the Flying Bull Inn’. They must therefore have been delighted to find an elevated folly from which to carry out their measuring. Of the many landscape ornaments used as ‘stations and intersected objects’, some are very familiar and would be obvious choices if asked to suggest lofty towers: King Alfred’s Tower at Stourhead, Sturt’s Folly in Dorset, and Leith Hill Tower in Surrey to name a few. Obelisks were also favoured: Bramham in Yorkshire, the Frampton Obelisk in Dorset, and the now truncated Norris’s Obelisk in Surrey, are just three that feature in the report. The word ‘obelisk’ was often applied to any tall, thin structure at this date, and so the ‘Earl’s Mount Obelisk’ is actually Robert Adam’s lovely Brizlee Tower at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland (as featured here last week https://thefollyflaneuse.com/brizlee-tower-alnwick-northumberland/). […]

By: Editor

Editor — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 11:44:24 +0000

In reply to Garance. It was remiss of me not to tag Coade Stone, thanks for pointing this out G. I have updated the post!

By: Garance

Garance — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 11:34:19 +0000

Wonderful that La Flaneuse is able to continue her extensive research for all to enjoy during lock down – thank you!

For those who know of Landmark Trust’s Belmont, once the home of Mrs Eleanor Coade, and certainly those who have stayed there, I wonder if Coade Stone might work as a key term
for other researchers who now make a point of locating works of her sculptors?

By: Editor

Editor — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 14:01:03 +0000

In reply to Gwyn. Confession time.The Folly Flâneuse has claustrophobia and can only climb a narrow tower when she knows she can turn back at anytime. So only possible in very small groups of trusted friends. So to date no, although the opportunity has been offered.

By: Editor

Editor — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 13:57:31 +0000

In reply to Gand. It’s the most magical of towers in the most perfect of parks

By: Gwyn

Gwyn — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 11:10:02 +0000

Love this. It’s one of my favourite folly towers as well, but I’ve never been inside. Has La Flâneuse climbed it?

By: Gand

Gand — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 07:15:19 +0000

Ah yes. Brought back memories. We had a walk in the park back in the day. The tower and several other notable features made for a fabulous day out. Gand.