Description and History of Site:-
Sighting tower used in connection with the construction of the Nidd Aqueduct between Scar House Reservoir and Bradford. The tower which is constructed of well mortared roughly shaped moor stone block is about 12ft (3.6m) square at its base with 2ft (0.6m) thick walls. Internally there is a separate, free-standing stone column about 4ft (1.2m) square again built of well-mortared sandstone blocks. The column is separated from the main tower by a 2ft (0.6m) wide annular space. The tower is estimated to be about 30ft (10m) high.

There is no obvious internal means of access to the top of the column, which may have been by means of an external ladder. An interesting feature of its construction is the use of timber beams set into the walls at about 6ft (2m) intervals. Unfortunately, the external wall plates have rotted leading to partial collapse and leaving the tower in a vulnerable and unsafe condition.

In use, the surveying instrument would have been mounted on the top of the internal instrument column.

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Key Words :- Aqueduct Sighting Tower

Viewing the Site :- On open access land. Can be viewed from the footpath

Address :- Greenhow, Pateley Bridge, North Yorkshire, HG3 5JH
Grid Ref :- SE 11023 65089
Co-ordinates :- Lat 54.081604 , Long -1.833006
Local Authority :- Harrogate Borough Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site extant - Protected status unknown
Site Condition :- Site disused - but otherwise substantially intact
Record Date :- 28 May 2021

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © John Suter