Approximately one mile Southeast of Pitcomb village, not far from Bruton, and silently minding its own business at the side of the road to Redlynch, is this lovely eye-catching gateway, the Chequers Towers. It was built in the late 18th century, possibly to commemorate a Royal visit by King George III to Redlynch. It is thought to have been constructed by the then-owner of Redlynch House, but he spent so much money on its construction that no funds were left to make a drive to pass through the finished gates, so it was never used! Lovely.
The towers are built on the ” Chequers ” site, hence their name. They are castellated hollow towers with quarter foil and pointed arched windows and doors. The buildings and central arch are beautifully decorated with family crests and rows of tiny hooks around their tops.
The towers’ interior is hollow, with no means of ascending them. The smell of the aged stone in such small surroundings is indeed overwhelming. However, very worryingly, large cracks appear from the base of the tower’s interior to virtually halfway up. These cracks are being monitored with metering devices being screwed on each side of the shots. Perhaps due to subsidence over the years, the stones are shifting apart.
Unless something is done soon to rectify this, the Chequers Towers will be no more, the whole lot collapsing into a pile of rubble.
Visiting:- Easily found on the road to Redlynch from Pitcomb. There is a Lay-by opposite the folly.
Source: Follies & Monuments