The Tower Or Pepper Pot

A garden observation tower, built in 1830 for the grounds of Attree Villa (which is not included in the listed building). It was designed by Charles Barry for the Brighton solicitor and property developer, Thomas Attree. Constructed from cement scored to resemble ashlar blocks, the tower features a domical roof also in cement. The base is octagonal in plan, while the upper stages are circular.

The tower has four stages. The lowest stage has a plinth and battered walls, rising to an entablature with a projecting cornice. The entrance is located on the south-east face, with a semicircular area enclosed by low parapet walls in front. The drum of the second stage is low and defined by a plinth and a cornice. The third stage is the tallest and most prominent section, featuring 11 giant attached columns of the Composite order, which support an entablature with a modillioned cornice. Flat-arched windows with sill bands are set within the wall between each pair of columns, with a projecting wall band articulating the area above the capitals. The columns continue upwards into the fourth, top stage, expressed as a pilastrade. Recessed panels are placed between the pilasters, with a rich entablature stepping out above each. The structure culminates in a series of ball finials above the cornice. The elliptical dome is fielded, topped by a metal urn.

Historically, a single-storey extension opposite the entrance was converted into a public lavatory by the Borough Council in the 1960s. The building's original purpose remains speculative, and may have been a water tower or a sewer vent. From the mid to late 19th century, it was used by George Duddell to print the "Brighton Daily Mail" after he purchased Attree Villa and grounds in 1863. The estate was presented to the Corporation in 1891. During World War II, it served as a military observation tower, subsequently used as a headquarters for a boy scout troupe and, later, as an artist’s studio. The tower is locally known as the “Pepper Pot”.