Cabot Tower (Bristol)

Cabot Tower (Bristol)

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Cabot Tower (Bristol)

This article is about the Cabot Tower in Bristol, England. For the tower of the same name in Newfoundland, Canada see Cabot Tower (Newfoundland)

Cabot Tower is a tower in Bristol, England, situated in a public park on Brandon Hill, between the city centre, Clifton and Hotwells. It was built in 1897 in memory of John Cabot, 400 years after he set sail in the Matthew from Bristol and landed in what was later to become Canada. The architect was William Venn Gough. It consists of a spiral staircase and two viewing platforms which overlook the city, the higher of which is approximately above sea level. The tower used to be open to the public. It is now closed due to construction works. The tower gives its name to the area and Council ward of Cabot.

It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II listed building ^[1]. The tower is 32.4m (105 ft) high and built from red sandstone covered with cream Bath stone, and was paid for by public subscription.

On three sides of the tower are commemorative plaques. They read as follows:

"The foundation stone of this tower was laid by the Marquess of Dufferin & Ava on the 24th June, 1897, And the completed tower was opened by the same nobleman on the 6th September, 1898. W.Howell Davies, Chairman of the executive committee E.G.Clarke, J.W.Arrowsmith Hon. Secretaries"

"This tablet is placed here by the Bristol branch of the Peace Society in the earnest hope that peace and friendship may ever continue between the kindred peoples of this country and America 'Glory to God in the highest and on Earth, peace, good will towards men' Luke 2.14"

"This tower was erected by public subscription in the 61st year of the reign of Queen Victoria to commemorate the fourth centenary of the discovery of the continent of North America, on the 24th June, 1497, by John Cabot. Who sailed from this port in the Bristol ship Matthew, with a Bristol crew, under letters patent granted by King Henry VII to that navigator and his sons Lewis, Sebastian and Sanctus"

The tower is currently closed for being too unsafe.