Burton Pynsent Monument At Ngr St 3768 2517

The Burton Pynsent Monument is a prospect tower or eyecatcher, designed in 1757 by the architect Lancelot 'Capability' Brown for William Pitt as a memorial to Sir William Pynsent. It features a core made of coursed and squared lias rubble, with an outer skin of Portland stone. The monument is built in a classical style and stands approximately 42 meters high. It has a square plinth with a set-off at the base and a door opening situated on a base of steps. The structure includes a cornice and a Roman-Doric column that supports an internal spiral staircase. At the top, there is a cupola with a large urn finial, semi-circular bead openings, and a domed roof. The railings around the base were removed during the Second World War.