Wainhouse Tower is a folly in the parish of King Cross, on the south-west side of Halifax, Calderdale,[1][2]West Yorkshire, in England. At 275 feet (84 m), it is the tallest structure in Calderdale and the tallest folly in the world, and was erected between 1871 and 1875. The main shaft is octagonal in shape and has a square base and 369 steps leading to the first of two viewing platforms which is open to the public, and a total of 405 to the top viewing platform which is usually closed to the public. The tower is open to the public during bank holidays, and is a Grade II* listed building.[3]
One driving force behind the erection of the viewing platforms was a long-standing feud between landowning neighbours John Edward Wainhouse (1817–1883) and Sir Henry Edwards (1812–1886). Edwards had boasted that he had the most private estate in Halifax, Pye Nest (demolished 1925-30),[4] into which no one could see. As the estate was on land adjacent to the chimney's site, following the opening of the viewing platforms, Edwards could never claim privacy again.
The tower was designed by architect Isaac Booth as a chimney to serve the Washer Lane dye works owned by Wainhouse. The height of the chimney was to satisfy the Smoke Abatement Act 1870 which required a tall chimney to carry smoke out of the valleys in which the factories were built.[5][6] A much simpler chimney would have satisfied the requirements[citation needed] but Wainhouse insisted that it should be an object of beauty.[7]
In 1874, John Wainhouse sold the mill to his works manager, who refused to pay the cost of the chimney's construction, so Wainhouse kept the tower for himself and used it as an observatory.[8] Booth left after a dispute and was replaced by another local architect, Richard Swarbrick Dugdale, who is responsible for the elaborate galleries and the corona dome at the top.[9] The tower was completed on 9 September 1875, at a cost of £14,000 (equivalent to £1,400,000 in 2021).
In 1918, an appeal was started to raise money to purchase the tower for the local community, with a target of £1,000.[10]
Restorationedit
In 2006, Wainhouse Tower was closed because of safety problems. Work to repair it began in July 2008 and took about five months. During the restoration, the top section of the tower was partly dismantled and rebuilt, decorative sections and part of the main shaft were repointed, missing stone finials replaced, the drainage system improved, corroded ironwork replaced and cracks at the base of the tower fixed.[11] The tower reopened to the general public on 4 May 2009. The restoration cost was £400,000.[12]
In 2011, the Huffington Post included the tower in its list of the "Top 10 Pieces of Folly Architecture",[13] and The Telegraph included the tower on their top 15 list of "Britain's Best Architectural Follies".[14]
^. Calderdale Council. Archived from the original on 16 July 2007. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
^Jos, Simon (2015). The rough guide to Yorkshire. London: Rough Guides. pp. 116–117. ISBN9781409371045.
^Hargreaves, John A (1999). Halifax. Edinburgh University Press. p. 160. ISBN9781853312175.
^"Wainhouse Tower Purchase Scheme". The Builder. 114: 170. 15 March 1918.
^. Halifax Courier. 22 May 2008. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
^"The Yorkshire 'chimney' that's the tallest folly in the world". The Yorkshire Post. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
^"The Top 10 Pieces Of Folly Architecture". Huffington Post. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
^"Britain's best architectural follies". The Telegraph. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
May 02, 2024
wainhouse, tower, 7125, 8825, 7125, 8825, folly, parish, king, cross, south, west, side, halifax, calderdale, west, yorkshire, england, feet, tallest, structure, calderdale, tallest, folly, world, erected, between, 1871, 1875, main, shaft, octagonal, shape, sq. 53 42 45 N 1 52 57 W 53 7125 N 1 8825 W 53 7125 1 8825 Wainhouse Tower Wainhouse Tower is a folly in the parish of King Cross on the south west side of Halifax Calderdale 1 2 West Yorkshire in England At 275 feet 84 m it is the tallest structure in Calderdale and the tallest folly in the world and was erected between 1871 and 1875 The main shaft is octagonal in shape and has a square base and 369 steps leading to the first of two viewing platforms which is open to the public and a total of 405 to the top viewing platform which is usually closed to the public The tower is open to the public during bank holidays and is a Grade II listed building 3 Contents 1 History 2 Restoration 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory editOne driving force behind the erection of the viewing platforms was a long standing feud between landowning neighbours John Edward Wainhouse 1817 1883 and Sir Henry Edwards 1812 1886 Edwards had boasted that he had the most private estate in Halifax Pye Nest demolished 1925 30 4 into which no one could see As the estate was on land adjacent to the chimney s site following the opening of the viewing platforms Edwards could never claim privacy again The tower was designed by architect Isaac Booth as a chimney to serve the Washer Lane dye works owned by Wainhouse The height of the chimney was to satisfy the Smoke Abatement Act 1870 which required a tall chimney to carry smoke out of the valleys in which the factories were built 5 6 A much simpler chimney would have satisfied the requirements citation needed but Wainhouse insisted that it should be an object of beauty 7 In 1874 John Wainhouse sold the mill to his works manager who refused to pay the cost of the chimney s construction so Wainhouse kept the tower for himself and used it as an observatory 8 Booth left after a dispute and was replaced by another local architect Richard Swarbrick Dugdale who is responsible for the elaborate galleries and the corona dome at the top 9 The tower was completed on 9 September 1875 at a cost of 14 000 equivalent to 1 400 000 in 2021 In 1918 an appeal was started to raise money to purchase the tower for the local community with a target of 1 000 10 Restoration editIn 2006 Wainhouse Tower was closed because of safety problems Work to repair it began in July 2008 and took about five months During the restoration the top section of the tower was partly dismantled and rebuilt decorative sections and part of the main shaft were repointed missing stone finials replaced the drainage system improved corroded ironwork replaced and cracks at the base of the tower fixed 11 The tower reopened to the general public on 4 May 2009 The restoration cost was 400 000 12 In 2011 the Huffington Post included the tower in its list of the Top 10 Pieces of Folly Architecture 13 and The Telegraph included the tower on their top 15 list of Britain s Best Architectural Follies 14 See also editGrade II listed buildings in Calderdale Listed buildings in Sowerby BridgeReferences edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wainhouse Tower Wainhouse s Tower Retrieved 24 March 2011 Wainhouse Tower Halifax Icons of England Archived from the original on 29 October 2007 Retrieved 24 March 2011 Historic England Wainhouse Tower Grade II 1133900 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 9 January 2015 Historic Pye Nest Halifax People Retrieved 4 January 2023 The Rocks Halifax Document ID 100125 Calderdale Council Hadley Gwyn 1999 Follies grottoes amp garden buildings London Aurum pp 552 554 ISBN 9781854106254 Glimpse Of The Past Calderdale Council Archived from the original on 16 July 2007 Retrieved 29 June 2009 Jos Simon 2015 The rough guide to Yorkshire London Rough Guides pp 116 117 ISBN 9781409371045 Hargreaves John A 1999 Halifax Edinburgh University Press p 160 ISBN 9781853312175 Wainhouse Tower Purchase Scheme The Builder 114 170 15 March 1918 Rescue work to start at Wainhouse Tower Halifax Courier 22 May 2008 Archived from the original on 5 December 2008 Retrieved 29 June 2009 The Yorkshire chimney that s the tallest folly in the world The Yorkshire Post 16 July 2018 Retrieved 29 June 2023 The Top 10 Pieces Of Folly Architecture Huffington Post 10 January 2012 Retrieved 23 March 2016 Britain s best architectural follies The Telegraph Retrieved 28 July 2016 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wainhouse Tower amp oldid 1214977282, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
