Wainhouse Tower facts for kids
The Wainhouse Tower is a very tall and interesting building in Halifax, England. It's known as a "folly," which means it was built mostly for fun or decoration, not for a practical purpose like living in. Standing at about 84 meters (275 feet) tall, it's the highest building in the area and the tallest folly in the whole world!
This amazing tower was built between 1871 and 1875. It has a square base, and then the main part of the tower is shaped like an octagon (an eight-sided shape). If you're brave enough, there are 369 steps to reach the first viewing platform, which is sometimes open to visitors. To get to the very top platform, there are 405 steps in total! The tower is a special historic building, listed as Grade II*, and you can visit it on certain public holidays.
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Why Was Wainhouse Tower Built?
The Wainhouse Tower has a fun and surprising story behind why it was built. It all started with a friendly rivalry between two neighbors, John Edward Wainhouse and Sir Henry Edwards.
A Friendly Feud and a Tall Tower
Sir Henry Edwards once boasted that his estate (his land and home) was the most private place in Halifax. He claimed no one could see into it. John Edward Wainhouse, who owned the land next to Sir Henry's, decided to challenge this claim in a big way! He planned to build a very tall tower right next to Sir Henry's estate. Once the viewing platforms were open, Sir Henry's private estate would no longer be so private!
More Than Just a Chimney
The tower was first designed by an architect named Isaac Booth. It was meant to be a chimney for John Wainhouse's dye factory. In 1870, a new law called the Smoke Abatement Act said that factories needed tall chimneys to send smoke away from the valleys. While a simple chimney would have worked, Mr. Wainhouse wanted something much grander. He insisted that his chimney should be a beautiful landmark.
In 1874, John Wainhouse sold his factory. However, the new owner didn't want to pay for the tower's construction. So, Mr. Wainhouse kept the tower for himself and decided to use it as an observatory, a place to look at the stars and the view.
The Final Touches
Isaac Booth, the first architect, left the project after a disagreement. Another local architect, Richard Swarbrick Dugale, took over. He added the fancy viewing galleries and the unique crown-like dome at the very top. The tower was finished on September 9, 1875. It cost about £14,000 to build, which was a huge amount of money back then!
Restoring Wainhouse Tower
Over the years, the Wainhouse Tower needed some care to stay safe and beautiful.
Making the Tower Safe Again
In 2006, the tower had to close because of safety concerns. But don't worry, work began in July 2008 to fix it up! The repairs took about five months. During this time, parts of the top section were carefully taken apart and rebuilt. Workers also fixed cracks at the bottom, replaced missing stone decorations, improved the drainage, and replaced rusty metal parts.
The tower reopened to the public on May 4, 2009, looking as good as new! The restoration cost around £400,000.
A Famous Folly
The Wainhouse Tower is not just popular locally; it's famous around the world! In 2011, The Huffington Post included it in their list of the "Top 10 Pieces of Folly Architecture." Also, The Telegraph listed it among "Britain's Best Architectural Follies." This shows how special and unique the Wainhouse Tower truly is!
