Hoober Stand

Hoober Stand is a tall stone tower on a high ridge in Wentworth, South Yorkshire. It stands about 30 metres above the ground and 157 metres above sea level. The tower was built in the mid-18th century by Henry Flitcroft for Thomas Watson-Wentworth, later the first Marquess of Rockingham. It was raised to celebrate the defeat of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion. The inscription above the door thanks King George the Second for restoring peace. Close by are other follies such as Needle’s Eye and Keppel’s Column. The tower’s unusual shape is an equilateral triangle with rounded corners. Inside, a spiral stair of 150 steps leads to a hexagonal cupola and a viewing platform. The stair is lit by seven small windows, five in the shaft and two in the cupola. The stonework on the north-west wall remains largely original, while the lightning conductor runs down this face. The illusion of movement comes from the inward taper of the walls and the shifting view from different angles. Visitors reach the tower along Lea Brook Lane and park beside it. The plain exterior gives little hint of the richer decoration inside. From the top, long views stretch across the countryside on clear days. The iron-railed platform is shaped like an equilateral triangle, with stone pedestals at each corner. The cupola door opens directly onto this platform, offering a place to stand and look out over the ridge and beyond.