Burton Pynsent Monument

The Burton Pynsent Monument stands on Troy Hill, a spur of high ground about 700 metres north-east of Burton Pynsent House in Somerset. The 43-metre tower was built in 1767 from Portland stone and is also known as the Curry Rivel Column or Pynsent Steeple. It was designed by Capability Brown and erected by Philip Pear at a cost of £2,000 for William Pitt. The monument commemorates Sir William Pynsent, a member of the Pynsent baronets. Alternative names include the Cider Monument, reflecting its local significance. The tower’s origins are linked to a political debate. Pitt opposed a proposed ten-shilling tax on cider in 1763, not because of Pynsent’s business but because he believed the law violated privacy. When Pynsent died, he left his estate to Pitt, who used part of its annual income of £3,000 to build the monument. A local legend suggests gratitude for saving the cider industry, though records show the will was signed before the tax was proposed. Visitors climb 172 steps to reach the top, where they find wide views over the Somerset Levels. In 1948 a heifer made the ascent and was safely returned to pasture. The tower was restored in the 1990s by the John Paul Getty Trust and English Heritage. It remains a Grade I listed building and a landmark on Troy Hill. The surrounding countryside offers quiet walking paths and distant views of Burton Pynsent House.