Clifton Observatory
CLIFTON OBSERVATORY, CLIFTON DOWN
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1282362
- Date first listed:
- 04-Mar-1977
- List Entry Name:
- Clifton Observatory
- Statutory Address:
- CLIFTON OBSERVATORY, CLIFTON DOWN
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 1999-10-12
- Reference:
- IOE01/01465/24
- Rights:
- © Mrs Joy Roddy. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1282362
- Date first listed:
- 04-Mar-1977
- List Entry Name:
- Clifton Observatory
- Statutory Address 1:
- CLIFTON OBSERVATORY, CLIFTON DOWN
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- CLIFTON OBSERVATORY, CLIFTON DOWN
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- City of Bristol (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- ST 56562 73261
Details
BRISTOL
ST5673SE CLIFTON DOWN, Clifton 901-1/7/749 (West side) 04/03/77 Clifton Observatory
II*
Former windmill, now camera obscura. C18. Camera and extension of 1828 and 1835 by a Mr West. Carboniferous limestone rubble with limestone dressings, lead roof to tower, roofless side block. Single-depth plan. 3-stage round tower with single-storey; 4-window side block. The battered tower has a first-floor casement window, and tall, moulded brackets to a rendered top storey containing the camera obscura with crenellations and casements in the embrasures. Tudor-arched doorway to the roofless side block, which has a curved end and 2 segmental-headed windows; the rear has two 4-centre arched rear windows with torus mouldings and casements with margin panes, and paired right-hand 2-light windows. INTERIOR: a winder stair up to the camera obscura in the roof, and down into a tunnel leading to Ghyston's Cave, in the side of the gorge. HISTORICAL NOTE: the windmill was damaged by fire in 1777. William West leased the mill for conversion into an observatory in 1828. In 1835 he was granted an extra piece of land adjacent to the tower on which he built a new astronomical observatory with a revolving dome and telescope "to allow unrestricted observation of the heaven". Next to this was a large room with various astronomical maps, globes and instruments, intended for occasional use as a lecture room. The tower was also altered in 1835, by the rebuilding of the wooden balcony in store and the fitting of the camera obscura. West also excavated an underground passage to Ghyston's Cave, opened 1837. (Chilcott: History of Bristol: Bristol: 1844-).
Listing NGR: ST5656273261
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 379207
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Chilcott, , History of Bristol, (1844)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 08-Jun-2026 at 23:00:55.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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