SteveB
13-11-2010, 05:44 PM
This is a site that despite regularly driving very close to it, I had no idea it was there until recently.
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/tower1.jpg
Nab End Tower, also known as Longwood Tower, was built in 1861 on the site of a quarry. It's a folly built, for the sheer hell of it, by locals during a slack period of work, probably in connection with the "Longwood Thump" festival. It's solid, made using dry stone masonry techniques, under the direction of a George Hellawell, a local mason described as "deaf and dumb". They made it up as they went along, there were no plans!
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/GH.jpg
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/tower2.jpg http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/stairs1.jpg http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/stairs2.jpg
The top of the tower had to be rebuilt after visitors thought it was fun to throw stones off the top. Ownership was transferred to the Council in 1895, who at some stage concreted the top to prevent vandalism. The railing is probably their work too.
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/top1.jpg
The council also added these butresses, to prevent the structure from collapsing - the original design had some flaws as it wasn't really designed!
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/tower_9.jpg
Also on this site is an open air amphitheatre, viewed here from the top of the tower
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/amp1.jpg
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/amp2.jpg
Built 1873, Rebuilt 1930
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/amp_date.jpg
This was also built with dry stone masonry, but has had the concrete treatment in later years, possibly as part of the 1930 rebuilt. The original stonework can be seen where the concrete is chipping off.
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/amp_crack.jpg
The amphitheatre is used for the annual "Longwood Sing" event each year, but was presumably built for the Longwood Thump.
I couldn't resist including this shot, taken from the top of the tower, showing the Milnsbridge viaduct
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/viewtop.jpg
More info about this site including an 1861 newspaper article about the tower: http://www.jimjarratt.co.uk/follies/page22.html
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/tower1.jpg
Nab End Tower, also known as Longwood Tower, was built in 1861 on the site of a quarry. It's a folly built, for the sheer hell of it, by locals during a slack period of work, probably in connection with the "Longwood Thump" festival. It's solid, made using dry stone masonry techniques, under the direction of a George Hellawell, a local mason described as "deaf and dumb". They made it up as they went along, there were no plans!
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/GH.jpg
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/tower2.jpg http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/stairs1.jpg http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/stairs2.jpg
The top of the tower had to be rebuilt after visitors thought it was fun to throw stones off the top. Ownership was transferred to the Council in 1895, who at some stage concreted the top to prevent vandalism. The railing is probably their work too.
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/top1.jpg
The council also added these butresses, to prevent the structure from collapsing - the original design had some flaws as it wasn't really designed!
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/tower_9.jpg
Also on this site is an open air amphitheatre, viewed here from the top of the tower
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/amp1.jpg
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/amp2.jpg
Built 1873, Rebuilt 1930
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/amp_date.jpg
This was also built with dry stone masonry, but has had the concrete treatment in later years, possibly as part of the 1930 rebuilt. The original stonework can be seen where the concrete is chipping off.
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/amp_crack.jpg
The amphitheatre is used for the annual "Longwood Sing" event each year, but was presumably built for the Longwood Thump.
I couldn't resist including this shot, taken from the top of the tower, showing the Milnsbridge viaduct
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k634/stevebentley/Nab%20End%20Tower/viewtop.jpg
More info about this site including an 1861 newspaper article about the tower: http://www.jimjarratt.co.uk/follies/page22.html