A Brief History of The Storm Tower
A historical icon of Bude, the Storm Tower sits on overwatch proudly above Bude Bay. Originally designed by architect, George Wightwick, in 1835 for Sir Thomas Acland, as a refuge for the coastguard and for ornamental purposes. This iconic octagonal tower was modelled by Wightwick on the ‘Temple of the Winds’ at Athens, and stands on a plinth with 3 granite steps leading up to the entrance on the east side with points of the compass carved into the structure.
With constant coastal erosion taking place at Compass Point, it was only a matter of time before the Storm Tower would need to be relocated. Originally moved inland to its current position in 1881, 140 years later the Storm Tower is again teetering on the edge of the cliff, exposed to the perils of the sea below. Its future existence remains uncertain unless sufficient funding can be raised to move the building inland once again.
First registered as a Grade II listed building in 1985, extensive work started last year with the completion of the Heritage Impact Assessment, arranged by Bude-Stratton Town Council and funded by Cornwall Council. This outlined suitable options for the safe movement of the Storm Tower inland by approximately 100 meters. Part of Efford Down, the land upon which the Storm Tower sits, and indeed the building itself, is leased to Cornwall Council on a 500-year term.
