The tower stands near the location of 'Egbert's Stone', where it was said that Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, rallied the Saxons in May 878 before the important Battle of Edington, where the Danish army, led by Guthrum the Old was defeated. It is the start of the Leland Trail, a footpath which runs from King Alfred's Tower to Ham Hill Country Park.
History
The project to build the tower was conceived in 1762 by the banker Henry Hoare II. The tower was also intended to commemorate the end of the Seven Years' War against France and the accession of King George III. In 1765 Henry Flitcroft, a Palladian architect, designed the tower. Building began in 1769 or early 1770, and was completed in 1772 at an estimated cost between £5,000 and £6,000. There may have been some delay due to difficulty in obtaining the bricks. In addition to the commemorative function, the tower was also intended to serve as an eye-catching focus for those touring the parkland of the Stourhead Estate. In April 1770, when the tower was just high, Hoare is quoted as saying: 'I hope it will be finished in as happy Times to this Isle as Alfred finished his Life of Glory in then I shall depart in peace.' The tower was damaged in 1944 when an aeroplane, a Noorduyn Norseman ironically, crashed into it, resulting in the death of the five aircrew and damage to the highest. It was designated as a Grade I listed building in 1961. The tower was restored in 1986, which included the use of a Wessex helicopter to lower a stone onto the top. The statue of King Alfred was also restored at this time, including the replacement of his missing right forearm.
Architecture
The triangular tower is over high with a girth of. Each of the three corners of the triangular structure has a round projection. The centre of the tower is hollow and to stop birds from entering the space a mesh has been added at roof level. The viewing platform, which has a crenellatedparapet and offers a view over the surrounding countryside, is reached by a 205-step spiral staircase at the corner furthest from the entrance. The brick tower has Chilmark stone dressings and is surmounted by an embattled parapet. The 'front' face of the tower has a Gothic-arched entrance door, a statue of King Alfred, and a stone panel bearing an inscription. This is the face that most visitors see first when walking from Stourhead garden or from the nearby car park.
Inscription
Around the Stourhead estate are several inscriptions. The one on the tower was drafted in 1762 and installed in 1772. The stone tablet above the door on the east face of the tower reads:
