Severndroog Castle
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/2016_Severndroog_Castle_02.jpg/290px-2016_Severndroog_Castle_02.jpg)
Severndroog Castle is a folly designed by architect Richard Jupp, with the first stone laid on 2 April 1784.[1]
While commonly referred to as a castle due to its turrets, it was built as a folly, as can be discerned by its small size and because it has never functioned as a castle. It is situated in Castle Wood, on Shooter's Hill in south-east London in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
It was built to commemorate Commodore Sir
Designated a Grade II* listed building in 1954,[2][3] the Gothic-style castle is 63 feet (19 m) high and triangular in section, with a hexagonal turret at each corner. From its elevated position, it offers views across London, with features in seven different counties visible on a clear day.
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Triangular_Tower%2C_Shooters_Hill.jpg/170px-Triangular_Tower%2C_Shooters_Hill.jpg)
Sir William James captured the Suvarnadurg fort (Golden fort) on western coast of India on 12 April 1755, this victory and later other triumphs led to change his rank to director in the East India company.
The tower was used by General
Following Lady James' death in 1798, the building passed through the hands of various landowners, including John Blades, a former Sheriff of London, a Mr Barlow (ship owner) who built nearby Castle Wood House, and Thomas Jackson (a railway and docks contractor of Eltham Park).[4] On 18 August 1845, the tower was visited by diarist William Copeland Astbury, who recorded the tower, layout, ownership and condition.[5] In 1922, the tower was purchased by London County Council and it became a local visitor attraction with a ground-floor tearoom serving refreshments. In 1986, when the GLC was abolished, responsibility for Severndroog passed to Greenwich Council.[6]
Restoration
In 1988, the local council could no longer afford the building's upkeep and it was boarded up. In 2002, a community group, the Severndroog Castle Building Preservation Trust, was established. In 2004, it featured in the BBC TV series Restoration (presented by Griff Rhys Jones, Ptolemy Dean and Marianne Suhr) to gain publicity and support to restore the building and open it to the public.[6]
In July 2013 work began on renovating the castle, funded by a £595,000
The
-
Viewing platform
-
View towards the northwest
-
First floor
-
Second floor
References
- ^ "Severndroog Castle: Sir William James". Severndroog Castle. Severndroog Castle Building Preservation Trust. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ "Severndroog Castle,castle Wood Park, Shooters Hill, London". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Good Stuff.
- ^ Historic England. "Severndroog Castle, Castle Wood Park (1289792)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 27 April 2007.
- ^ a b "The Great Severndroog Castle Timeline". Severndroog Castle. Severndroog Castle Building Preservation Trust. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ "William Copeland Astbury". www.facebook.com.
- ^ a b "Restoration 2004 - Severndroog Castle (July 2004)". BBC London. BBC. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ Trotter, Sarah (18 July 2014). "Shooters Hill's 18th Century Severndroog Castle reopens after 25 years of neglect". News Shopper. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
External links
Media related to Severndroog Castle at Wikimedia Commons
- Severndroog Castle Building Preservation Trust