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Fort seen from Firle Beacon
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On 30 May 2018 at 7:54pm Myrtle wrote:
Standing on Firle Beacon, looking out so that you have Firle village straight ahead of you, and Glynde to the left, there is a fort to the far right surrounded by trees - what is this? Grateful for any replies, as I can't work it out.
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On 30 May 2018 at 8:08pm Old Malling wrote:
It’s a tower on the Firle Estate (Firle Place). Details from the grade 2 listing -
Dated 1819. Built by the third Viscount Gage as a game-keepers cottage and
placed at the top of a small hill so that the game-keeper could signal to the
keeper of Plashet deer-park at Ringmer, which also belonged to Lord Gage.
Circular tower of 3 storeys. Faced with flints. Castellated parapet. Sash
windows with glazing bars intact.
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On 30 May 2018 at 9:07pm Popeye wrote:
I think its owned by English Heritage and you can rent and stay in it, or that may be the one nearer Laughton
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On 30 May 2018 at 9:27pm Walker wrote:
The Tower, as Old Malling says is part of the Firle estate. It was occupied until recently by Henry Gage, who has now moved into the main house and so it is now empty. Popeye....The tower at Laughton, known as Laughton Place is owned by The Landmark Trust and is available to rent
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On 30 May 2018 at 10:48pm Myrtle wrote:
Well that's really interesting, thank you.
I had no idea Firle estate covered land that far away from Firle village itself.
From this game keeper's building, Ringmer would not be in view as it is on the other side of the Glynde hill?
And why was it built as a tower (which looks like a fort)?
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On 31 May 2018 at 5:47am Also... wrote:
It was built as a tower because that's what Regency gentry did! Sometimes they were built to live in, sometimes they were just for show - if you ever get the chance to visit Herstmonceaux when the gardens are open there's a folly that looks like an ornate building but is actually nothing more than an elaborate stage set really. In Virginia Water there's a fake ancient temple (Roman or Greek I can't remember). It was just showing off by rich people.
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On 1 Jun 2018 at 1:34pm @Also... wrote:
One of the reasons they did this was that in times of serious agricultural depression they wanted their tenants not to starve. They were rich enough to employ them as builders, so the poor people would not be faced with the humiliating business of depending on "charity".


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