Memorial
King Alfred's Tower
Current Location
Part of Stourhead estate. Tower signposted from B3092, about 2.5 miles north of Mere. Also known as Stourton Tower., King Alfred's Tower, Kingsettle Hill, Brewham, South Somerset, Somerset, BA10 0LB, England
OS Grid Reference
ST 74547 35124
Names listed on this memorial
Contribute to the War Memorials Register
Send us details and photographs of your local war memorials, to help enhance the information about the people, places and events they commemorate.
This record shows everything IWM currently knows about this memorial. We are continually updating our records.
© WMR-68253
To share information or photographs, contact us.
- Type of Memorial
- Tower
- WMR Reference Number
- 68253
- Description
- A triangular brick folly with Chilmark stone dressings. There are round projections at each corner of the tower and a turret at one corner. A spiral staircase provides ascent to a viewing platform with embattled parapet. An inscribed tablet is set above the East-facing door together with a stone statue of King Arthur within a recessed Gothic arch.
- Inscription
- Stone: ALFRED THE GREAT/ AD 879 ON THIS SUMMIT/ ERECTED HIS STANDARD/ AGAINST DANISH INVADERS/ TO HIM WE OWE THE ORIGIN OF JURIES/ THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MILITIA/ THE CREATION OF A NAVAL FORCE/ ALFRED THE LIGHT OF A BENIGHTED AGE/ WAS A PHILOSOPHER AND A CHRISTIAN/ THE FATHER OF HIS PEOPLE/ THE FOUNDER OF THE ENGLISH/ MONARCHY AND LIBERTY
- War
- Seven Years' War (1756-1763)
- Additional Information
- Tower intended to commemorate the end of the Seven Years War and supposedly stands near the location of Egbert's Stone where Alfred the Great is believed to have rallied the Saxons before the Battle of Ethandun.
- Maker(s)
Henry Flitcroft, Designer
- Costs
- c. £5,000-£6,000
- Sponsor Type
- private
- Sponsored By
- Henry Hoare II, owner of Stourhead estate .
- Maintenance History
- 1986: Restoration of tower and statue of King Alfred. The top of the tower had been damaged in 1944 as a result of an air accident.
- Custodian
- National Trust
Components
- Tower
Height: c.49000mm
Width: c.49000mm
Made from: Brick
Condition: Good
Grade: I
List Entry: 1175610
Listed March 1961