Built between 1826 and 1827 for William Beckford (1760-1844), Beckford’s Tower is a unique building and a key landmark for the City of Bath. It once housed one of the greatest collections of art, furniture and books in Georgian England. However, behind its beauty lies a more brutal story.
The Tower is a product of the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved African people. Beckford’s ability to build, and to collect, was made possible by a vast fortune built on the profits of sugar plantations in Jamaica and the stolen labour of thousands of enslaved Africans. This wealth gave Beckford a life of privilege, and enabled him to collect and commission unique and influential artworks by some of Europe’s greatest artists and makers. It also gave him power over the lives of others. Understanding the source of Beckford’s wealth, and what it enabled him to do, is essential to exploring the books he wrote, the collection he put together and the buildings he created.
Explore Beckford’s Tower
Climb the spiral staircase; examine the collection; take in the view; walk along “Beckford’s Ride”; explore the Victorian cemetery; descend to the hidden Grotto: there is so much to discover at Beckford’s Tower.
The “Our Tower” project
In 2019 Beckford’s Tower was awarded a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to embark on a major project to conserve the building, adapt it for sustainable energy use, and better tell the complex story of Beckford’s life, relationships and complicity in the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved people.
The “Our Tower’ project has been undertaken in consultation with our Community Advisory Panel, our local communities, organisations, residents and academic advisors to encourage multiple voices to be heard. This is an on-going process. The Museum has been designed to enable displays to change easily as new information and understandings emerge. There is still a lot to be discovered and many other voices and perspectives that have not yet been heard.
If you would like to share your thoughts or get involved, email us.
If you would like to find out more about the Community Advisory Panel email us.
Beckford’s Grotto
For the first time in over 100 years, William Beckford’s hidden Grotto tunnel is publicly visible again after we excavated it as part of the “Our Tower” project.
The Grotto is a long-lost underground tunnel that William Beckford once used when travelling to and from the Tower. A team of archaeologists and building experts uncovered the original steps and retaining walls, along with various historic objects including clay pipes smoked by the stonemasons who first built the Grotto in the 1820s. The excavation revealed that the Grotto was double the expected size.
Visitors to the Tower can walk down to the Grotto via the newly restored pathway, and enter into this special space.
The team at Wessex Archaeology created this 3D photogrammetric model of the Grotto tunnel.
Opening times
Open from early June – 15 December 2024
Summer times:
March-October open weekends and Bank Holiday Mondays: 10.30am – 4 pm (last admission 3.30 pm) car park locked at 4.30 pm
Winter times:
November-December open weekends; 10.30am – 3pm (last admission 2.30 pm) car park locked at 3.30 pm
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