Hello Nigel. I didn’t find any evidence, although I did come across the local story that you mention. As the tower has changed in shape and height over the generations I wasn’t sure at what date (if ever) it passed the threshold of 1000 feet, so I decided to stick to it being the highest point in the county, and hope that that too isn’t a tall tale. But you are right, I should have mentioned the ‘pub gossip’, as it is those stories that make follies such fun. Thanks for the kind comments.

Gosh, I’d forgotten that. It was supposed to mean that, at 1,000ft tall, it was officially a mountain! I thought that was cheating.

Good morning Maisie. It’s lovely to hear your memories of the tower, and thank you for the information that Hull was still known as the ‘Squire’ long after his death. I think he would be pleased to know that people are still enjoying his tower, although he might be surprised to find a cafe operating out of a ground floor window! Thanks for getting in touch.

I visited Leith Hill tower with my parents many times in the late ’50’s and early ’60’s. The only land mark I ever identified on the horizon was Lancing College. When I’d found it, my father would ask whether I could see the sea. I always said yes rather than disappoint him. I was much more concerned about the fact that Squire Richard Hull (you never left off the ‘Squire’) was underneath it. My imagination used to work overtime. Believe it or not in those days the slopes were heavily wooded and the tower was quite hard to find – but always open.

Hello Tom from a cold and soggy England. Thanks for your continued support.

THANKS,
TOM

Good afternoon John. Great to have an expert opinion on the image on the sugar wrapper – thanks for taking the time to send this information. Sadly it is hard to find information on ephemera such as this, but as ever I hope that someone reading this might know more.

Hello Rosemary. A view of the tower was included in the ‘Samuel Palmer: Vision and Landscape’ exhibition at the British Museum in 2005. The curators noted that it was based on Leith Hill and I lodged the information in the back of my mind. Twenty years later I eventually got to see the tower – it was worth the wait. It is pleasing that Hull’s desire that his tower be enjoyed by all continues to be met.