Listed Building record MDO16058 - Horton Tower, Horton

A folly in the form of a six-storey brick tower, built around the middle of the 18th century. The building is called ‘Horton Observatory’ on a map of 1765. The site is visible as an extant structure on aerial photographs and was recorded during the Dorset Stour NMP.

Horton Tower, a 'folly' of six storeys with brick walls, dates from about the middle of the 18th century. It is called 'Horton Observatory' on Taylor's map of Dorset 1765. <1-2>

A folly in the form of a six-storey brick tower, built around the middle of the 18th century. The building is called ‘Horton Observatory’ on a map of 1765. The site is visible as an extant structure on aerial photographs <5> and was recorded during the Dorset Stour NMP.

<1> Taylor, Isaac, 1765, Map of Dorsetshire (Cartographic materials). SWX7290.

<2> Brewster, T F, 1964, A short history of Horton Church (Monograph). SDO18160.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1968 (Map). SWX1540.

(SU 03040674) Horton Tower (NAT)

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 37 (Monograph). SDO129.

‘(7) HORTON TOWER (03040674), a ‘folly’ of six storeys with brick walls (Plate 49), dates from about the middle of the 18th century; it is called ‘Horton Observatory’ on Taylor’s map of Dorset (1765). Above the fourth storey the straight sides have classical pediments and the round turrets have ogee domes with ball finials; all openings have two-centred head. Inside, there are beam-holes for six floors, but the woodwork has gone.’

<5> Royal Air Force, 12-DEC-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1893 RP 3085-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15753.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 213066 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 8 2024 4:28PM