D  u  n  s  t  o  n    P  i  l  l  a  r

Photograph By Graham Flint

Lincoln is a fine city with the towers of its cathedral dominating the local landscape. This marvellous structure can be seen for miles around, and yet 6 miles to the south-east in this rather flat landscape you will find Dunston Pillar - built as an 'inland lighthouse'.

The "Hell-fire Club"
This pillar (although at one time it was a tower - I explain later) was built by Sir Francis Dashwood, founder of the infamous 'Hell-fire Club'.
The purpose being to act as a marker for people coming over the heath land, heading towards Dunston. The local tale however states it was built as a wager that Sir Francis had with a local engineer. The wager was over whether a pillar of that height could be built on a base of a certain size without falling over. The height at the time of construction being 92 foot.

Originally it was 30% taller and topped with a plinth
    on which was a statue of King George 111

After losing his bet Sir Francis was left finding a use for it, hence the 'conversion' to a lighthouse. Originally it had an octagonal lantern 15 foot high on the top for people to see its location and so safely guide them across the heath land.


A Waste Of Stone
A certain Viscount Torrington uncharitably called it "a waste of stone", when he visited in the 1790`s. As the heath land was managed and farmed and roads were laid, the lantern slowly became redundant, and partially fell down in a storm. The lantern was later removed completely, by the Duke of Buckingham and replaced by a statue of King George 111 to celebrate 50 years of King George's reign in 1809.

Coade Stone
This statue was built of a unique material called Coade stone. The beauty of Coade stone is that it can be cast, in fact that is the only way it is used. A mould would be made and the mixture poured in, this is then fired in a kiln under precise conditions. The result when the mould was removed, was a statue that could have detail that would be hard to have carved from natural stone.

For in depth information on this stone with examples of its use in churchyard memorials take a look at Peter Fairweather's site
This is a fascinating site showing examples of :-
[ in Peter's own words ]

"Ecclesiastical Architecture, Stained Glass, Church Monuments and other Funerary Monuments "

For the next 133 years King George looked down on his loyal subjects, until he was brought down in a rather undignified way in 1941, getting damaged in the process. If this was not enough the pillar was also reduced to 60 foot in height.


Low Flying Aircraft
The reason for this butchery was that it was considered a hazard to low flying aircraft during the then second World War, that was in progress.
The earlier mention to it once being a tower, refers to the fact that originally there was a spiral stairwell inside, now long gone, hence the undignified exit of poor old King George, who had to be lowered down by a block and tackle!


King George 111
Below is all that one can see now of the King, this being at nearby Lincoln Castle, the remainder of the pieces of the statue are also at the castle, these can be seen on the following page link.


To see all of the remains of King George 111, go here   

     Photo Submitted by, and Copyright of :- Peter Fairweather.

Co-Ords: 500870 361960 / TF 008619  

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