The Tower

Tawstock Tower stands in the quiet village of Tawstock in North Devon. Built in the 18th century as a folly, it looks like a look-out tower made of stone rubble with Gothic windows on each floor. The tower overlooks the Taw Valley and the nearby town of Barnstaple, offering wide views across the countryside. Historians once thought the tower had vanished, but later editions of a book on follies corrected the mistake after readers confirmed it still stood. A developer bought it in 1988 and spent 14 years turning it into a private home, using local stone and adding a Great Hall. After the renovation, it sold for over £900,000, and in 2024 it was back on the market for £1.5 million. Inside, the tower now serves as a private family residence with modern comforts. The Great Hall is a large room created during the conversion, and the Gothic windows let in light across the stone floors. From the top, visitors can see the rolling Taw Valley and the distant rooftops of Barnstaple. The building remains a striking example of an 18th-century folly still standing in the Devon countryside.