B O X H I L L   T O W E R

 

(Best Viewed in Full screen F11)

 

Photos copyright of and submitted by Marion Kimberly and Steve Guy

Box Hill Park Rises high above Dorking and is owned by the National Trust. It is one of the better known summits of the North downs, rising to 693 ft, and is an area of outstanding natural beauty. Since the 1920's Box Hill has been one of the biggest meeting venues for UK motorcycle enthusiasts, with its famous "Rykas" restaurant. Away from the bustle of the bike park, there is a very curious little oddity to be found, standing high on a ridge near Mickleham. A short and thin circular little folly tower of flint, with large window openings re-enforced with brick. The doorway on its eastern side is unfortunately now blocked up. The structure stands around 30 ft high and has a clear view of Cherkley Court, the residence of Lord Beaverbrook, from its northern side. It may also have been visible from the fairly nearby tower at Leith Hill

It was built by Thomas Broadwood, a very wealthy piano-maker who had bought Juniper Hall in the valley below sometime around 1814, the tower probably consisted of 3 floors, connected by 2 staircases winding their way skywards around the interior walls. The floors have long vanished -or as I suspect, have been removed, as have the steps, but the niches where they were set into the walls can still be seen today. Marion Kimberly and Steve Guy visited the tower in 2007 and reports that there is a carving visible on the interior wall by the upper window that shows the floors and stairs still in place in 1946.

In residence:-

What makes the tower on Box Hill particularly special is it's current occupant. A modern day hermit? Unfortunately not, but growing happily within and out of the tower's long vanished roof is a very large tree! It is really is quite amazing how nature adapts to, and reclaims her land.

South of the tower, is the grave of Major Labellière of the Marines. He requested that he be buried deep in a hole 100 ft, upside down, as he too believed the world goes topsy turvy in the after-life, and naturally he wanted to be the right way up. Upside down burial was a very common practice in the 18th century.

Visiting:-

Located above the second leg "Zig Zag" road, Park in N.T. main car park and walk back down the Zig Zag road around the first left hand bend, and proceed down the straight through the 'avenue' of trees. When you emerge into the open look for a track on the right up a steep grass slope, turn left onto the track and the folly tower is right in front of you.

Co-ords 518500,151500 TQ 185 515 

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