Clifftop Victorian storm tower is dismantled amid project to move it inland brick by brick to save it from falling into the sea
- The 188-year-old tower is being dismantled brick by brick to move it inland
- It is the second time the Pepperpot has been moved due to costal erosion
A costal tower overlooking the sea in Cornwall is being moved inland brick by brick in a bid to protect it from falling into the water below.
The 188-year-old coastguard’s toward, known locally as the Pepperpot, is being relocated 100m inland to protect it from ongoing coastal erosion.
Work began to move the Grade-II listed Compass Point Storm Tower from the clifftop near Bude earlier this year, with the tower now fully dismantled.
Built from sandstone and shale in 1835, the tower has eight sides that map the points of a compass as part of an ingenious design by George Wightwick to ensure full visibility of the Atlantic.
It is closely modelled on the famed Tower of the Winds in Athens, which is considered to be the first metrological station in the world.
Pictured in April: The Grade-II listed Compass Point Storm Tower is perched on a clifftop near Bude, and boasts stunning views of the Atlantic from its peak
May: The tower is being taken down brick by brick before being moved away from the cliffs
July: The 188-year-old coastguard’s toward, known locally as the Pepperpot, is being relocated 100m inland to protect it from ongoing coastal erosion
Aerial view, taken in July: The 188-year-old toward is being relocated 100m inland to protect it from ongoing coastal erosion
Workers have been on site removing the tower brick by brick in an effort to save it from falling into the sea
It’s not the first time the tower has been moved. It was moved inland in 1881 for the same reason as today
It was initially built as a refuge for the coastguard, and was paid for by landowner Sir Thomas Acland. The building is leased on a 500-year term to Cornwall council.
Everything in the Victorian tower remains its original, apart from the roof. When first built, the tower was aligned to magnetic north but as a result of polar drift, it is now seven degrees out.
A coastguard would be posted to sit inside the tower during high tide and storms and use a flagpole to alert ships.
It’s not the first time the tower has been moved. It was previously relocated in 1881 to stop it from falling into the sea.
It is hoped the work will be completed by the end of the summer.
The project is expected to cost £400,000, with a quarter of a million coming from National Lottery Heritage Fund, £50,000 from Cornwall Council, £40,000 from Bude-Stratton Town Council and £60,000 through a community crowdfunding effort.
Work began to move the Grade-II listed Compass Point Storm Tower from the clifftop near Bude earlier this year, with the tower now fully dismantled
The project is expected to cost £400,000, with a quarter of a million coming from National Lottery Heritage Fund, £50,000 from Cornwall Council, £40,000 from Bude-Stratton Town Council and £60,000 through a community crowdfunding effort
Mick Robson at the construction worker saves an etching that his late friend Kev put into the tower in the 1970
Each brick is being carefully removed before the tower is rebuilt 100m away from the cliff edge
The tower is built from sandstone and shale and was first erected in 1835
The tower has eight sides that map the points of a compass as part of an ingenious design by George Wightwick to ensure full visibility of the Atlantic
Images show how close the tower already is to the cliff’s edge due to coastal erosion
Stuart McLeod, Director at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: ‘We’re delighted to see the first spades in the ground to start the work to relocate the Storm Tower.
‘Supported with money raised by National Lottery players, this iconic structure was at risk of being lost forever but has now been saved for future generations to continue to enjoy.’
Francesca Churchill-Zerilli, Project Manager for Bude-Stratton Town Council (BSTC), added: ‘The Storm Tower is an important part of our heritage.
‘Without the funding we have received and the support of the local community this project would not have been possible.’
The cliffs of north Cornwall are among the worst-affected by coastal erosion in the UK.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) say cliffs in the vicinity could retreat by as much as 40m over the next century.