Tower On St Michaels Hill

ST4614 MONTACUTE CP 8/87 Tower on St. Michaels Hill 19.4.61 - II Folly, used as signal tower. 1760. Ham stone ashlar, flat stone top. Circular on plan, about 3m diameter, and about 12m tall: chamfered flat- arched doorway on east side, and 3 slit-light windows at various levels on north-west, south and south-east sectors, illuminating the internal newel stone staircase; at the crown there is a string course, above which the walls have a marked batter into the flat top: on the east face above the string is a cantilevered platform with doorway at head of stairs, and an external stair to the flat top, without any surviving guard rails. There is a Greek inscription over the doorway and the initials 'K.P. 1760' (but Edward Phelips was the likely builder). The hill was the site of a Norman Castle, mostly demolished to build the Priory of Montacute: St. Michael's Chapel, first recorded 1102, survived at least until the mid C17; its site now occupied by the tower, which was used as a signal tower to Swayne Harbin at Newton Surmaville (using the Round House, Item 2/26 Barwick C.P., q.v) and Mr. Goodford, of Chilton Cantelo. Scheduled Ancient Monument (Somerset County No 101). (Nares S, Country Life, 5th September, 1952, p679).

Listing NGR: ST4934816977