NHER 7582 (Building record) - Westwick Obelisk, Obelisk Lane, Westwick

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Summary

A probably late 18th century rendered brick and flint round look-out tower, now barely above tree-level, on a square brick base with flint quoins. The column has rounded openings and is topped by a cast iron platform reached by an internal spiral staircase. Old photographs depict the tower with a gazebo-like structure on top and a documentary source of 1818 describes it as a tea room with a view of the sea.

Protected Status/Designation

Listed Building (II) 1049136: THE OBELISK

Location

Map sheet	TG22NE
Civil Parish	WESTWICK, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

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Full Description

September 1978. Visited.
Obelisk.
Marked on (S1).
Most unobelisk-like. Red brick cemented over. Square base with rusticated quoins of flint. Above, circular with round windows, brick spiral stair inside. At top cast iron circular platform with railings round edge, but at one point railings are below the top; perhaps hanging derelict, as much of the ironwork has fallen. Door mostly blocked up. Designed to give views towards Worstead Church. Wood around now replanted.
E. Rose (NAU), 20 September 1978.

Old photographs show a cast iron gazebo-like structure on top of the platform.
E. Rose (NAU).

(S2) describe this as a tower with a tea-room on top made to give a view of the sea.
E. Rose (NAU), 25 January 1982.

April 1987. Listed, Grade II.
Listing Description Excerpt:
"Look-out tower. Probably later 18th century. Brick, rendered brick and flint. Plain tiles. Square brick plinth with flint quoins to imitate vermiculation. Broach, plain tiled, to rendered brick column. Round openings to column. Now only iron platform to top. Stairs inside."
Information from (S3).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S3) for the current listing details.
Amended by P. Beers (HES), 08 September 2021.

Press cuttings (S4), (S5) and (S7) and correspondence (S6) in file.

September 2009.
A suspected arson attack has been carried out at the derelict site.
See (S8) for further details
H. White, (NLA), 18 September 2009

Associated Sources (15)

--- SNF48981 Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1994. TG2826/B - C.
--- SNF49744 Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1995. TG 2826P, S - T, X - Y.
--- SNF49837 Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1997. TG 2826AL - AQ.
--- SNF58263 Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 720.
--- SNF84456 Photograph: 1992. Photograph of Westwick Obelisk, Westwick, North Walsham. Black & white.
--- SNF57722 Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
--- SNF8804 Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1> SNF6047 Publication: Faden, W. and Barringer, J. C. 1989. Faden's Map of Norfolk in 1797.
<S2> SNF648 Monograph: Cromwell, T. and Cotman, J. S. 1818-1819. Excursions through Norfolk.
<S3> SNF48662 Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1049136.
<S4> SNF4169 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1979. [Article on the history of Westwick Obelisk]. 8 January.
<S5> SNF68461 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1994. Time for some old-fashioned matchmaking. 2 November.
<S6> SNF68462 Correspondence: Linder, G., North Norfolk District Council. 1996. Letter to E. Rose (NLA). 12 December.
<S7> SNF70448 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2008. Crumbling monument. 7 July.
<S8> SNF72228 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2009. Listed tower blaze sparks arson probe. 14 September.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (2)

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Related NHER Records (2)

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Westwick (Parish Summary)

Record last edited

Sep 29 2025 9:31AM