Observatory Circa 100 Yards South West of Lilburn Tower is a Grade II* listed building in the Northumberland local planning authority area, England. First listed on 25 January 1985. Observatory.

Observatory Circa 100 Yards South West of Lilburn Tower

WRENN ID
odd-joist-cobweb
Grade
II*
Local Planning Authority
Northumberland
Constituency
North Northumberland MP: David Smith (Lab)
Country
England
Date first listed
25 January 1985
Type
Observatory
OS grid reference
NU 024 242
Coordinates
55.51202, -1.96261
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The observatory, built around 1840 by John Dobson, is located approximately 100 yards southwest of Lilburn Tower. It is constructed from ashlar stone and features a copper roof with a battlemented parapet. The building is a single storey with three bays, flanked by lower, one-bay extensions on either side. The central bay is canted and includes a door with a Tudor-style head on the left and a 12-pane sash window in the front, both adorned with hoodmoulds. The left bay contains a tall, narrow window designed for a telescope, and there are similar openings on the rear, along with doors in the left and right extensions. The observatory is topped with a copper dome that has openings for telescopes, making it a fully equipped 19th-century observatory.

Local climate

Observatory Circa 100 Yards South West of Lilburn Tower receives an average of 800 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 53% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 99% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 45 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 86% of listed buildings. Of these, 28 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

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Nearby listed buildings

  1. Belvedere Wall to South and East of Lilburn Tower Grade II 79 m
  2. Lilburn Tower Grade II* 112 m
  3. Stable Block to North of Lilburn Tower Grade II 157 m
  4. Coach House and Storage Buildings to East of Stables at Lilburn Tower Grade II 177 m
  5. Lilburn Bridge Grade II 214 m
  6. Lilburn Chapel Grade II 238 m
  7. Garden Wall to East of Lilburn Tower Grade II 252 m
  8. West Lilburn Tower Grade II 304 m
  9. West Lodge, Walls and Gate Piers Grade II 740 m
  10. Lilburn West Bridge Grade II 764 m