C h e q u e r s  T o w e r s

Approximately one mile Southeast of Pitcome village not far from Bruton, and silently minding its own business at the side of the road to Redlynch, is this lovely eye catching gateway the Chequers Towers. It was built in the late 18th century possibly to commemorate a Royal visit by King George III to Redlynch. It is thought to have been built by the then owner of Redlynch House, but he spent so much money in its construction, that no funds were left to build a drive to pass through the finished gates, so it was never used! Lovely.

The towers are built on a site called "Chequers", hence their name. They are two hollow towers, castellated and with quarter foil and pointed arched windows and doors. The towers and central arch are beautifully decorated with family crests, and rows of tiny arches around their tops.

The interior of the towers are hollow, with no means of ascending them. The smell of the aged stone in such small surroundings is indeed overwhelming. However, very worryingly, large cracks are appearing from the base of the towers interior to virtually half way up. These cracks are being monitored with metering devices being screwed each side of the cracks. Perhaps due to subsidence over the years the stones are shifting apart. I fear unless something is done soon to rectify this, the Chequers Towers will be no more, the whole lot collapsing into a pile of rubble.

 

I visited in May 2007. The evidence of serious cracking is shown below.

Below: The rear of the Towers, as viewed from the drive, added years after its construction.

Visiting:- Easily found on the road to Redlynch from Pitcome. There is a Lay-by opposite the folly.

 Co-ords ST685324 368500 132400

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