Broadway Tower: A Folly with a View

Built in 1798 for Lady Coventry, who wanted to know if a beacon on this hilltop could be seen from her home 22 miles away. It could.

Broadway Tower was designed by James Wyatt and built in 1798 for Lady Coventry of Croome Court in Worcestershire. She wanted to know whether a beacon lit on this hilltop — the second highest point in the Cotswolds — could be seen from her home 22 miles away. It could. The tower has since served as a retreat for William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement, a Cold War nuclear bunker observation post, and is now a popular tourist attraction. On a clear day, 16 counties are visible from the top.