Description

NZ23SW
634-1/2/198
20/09/72

BISHOP AUCKLAND
WESTERTON
(North side)
Westerton Folly at NZ 2402031057

GV
II

Observatory. Used at one time as reading room and by 1924 as
council office. c1765. For Thomas Wright of Byers Green.
Rubble stone with ashlar dressings; no roof. Tall round tower
of 3 storeys.
Ground floor has 6 shallow buttresses with offsets and coping.
Rusticated round-headed surround to blocked door at east.
Plain stone Tudor-arched surround between 2nd and 3rd
buttresses left from door. Cross arrow slits in ground floor.
First floor band. Arrow slits and small lancet slits, probably
stair lights, above. Each upper floor has a round-headed
opening facing north-east. All lights blocked except
first-floor south-east lancet and second floor larger opening.
Top band. No access to interior.
Commemorative plaque to left of door, "This observatory tower
was erected by Thomas Wright born at Byers Green 1711 died
there 1786. To commemorate his treatise THEORY OF THE UNIVERSE
published 1750, this tablet was placed here by the University
of Durham 1950."
(Surtees H C: History of the Parish of Coundon: Mainsforth:
1924-: 8).

Listing NGR: NZ2402031057

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26490978

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6