Freston Tower |
Hob Uid: 387951 | |
Location : Suffolk Babergh Freston
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Grid Ref : TM1779639663 |
Summary : Freston Tower, a look-out tower or folly and now holiday accommodation, was built in 1578 by Thomas Gooding, a wealthy merchant from Ispwich. Built from orange brick with blue brick diapering, the tower is six storeys high with a polygonal staircase turret and angle buttresses with pinnacles. The tower has three light mullion windows, of which there are no less than twenty-six in total. The original function of the tower is uncertain. Some believe it may have been used by Gooding as a lookout tower to view his returning ships, however its also possible the tower was built simply as an extravagant folly, coinciding with Queen Elizabeth's visit to Ipswich in 1579. In 2000 Freston Tower was acquired by the Landmark Trust who restored the building and opened it in May 2004 as holiday accommodation. |
More information : [TM 17803961]. FRESTON TOWER [LB]. (1) Freston Tower is a very tall Elizabethan structure, apparently built as a caprice to obtain a view over the Orwell. (2) Freston Tower: a square red brick-built tower of six storeys with small corner turrets and on the NE side an octagonal stair turret of seven storeys giving access to the parapetted flat roof. In good condition, though some of the windows have been blocked up.
G.P. AO 65/255/6-7. (3) Freston Tower is Grade II* listed and was built as a look-out tower. Built from orange brick with blue brick diapering, the tower is six storeys high with a polygonal staircase turret and angle buttresses with pinnacles. The tower has three light mullion windows. (4)
Freston Tower, now holiday accommodation, was built in 1578 by Thomas Gooding, a wealthy merchant from Ispwich. It has twenty-six windows in total. Some believe the tower may have been used by Gooding as a lookout tower to see his returning ships but it is also possible that it may have simply been built as an extravagant folly, coinciding with Queen Elizabeth's visit to Ipswich in 1579.
In 2000 Freston Tower was acquired by the Landmark Trust who restored the building and opened it in May 2004 as holiday accommodation. (5)
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