Hoober Stand

... quite a trek getting to this monument! whew! It wasn't too far from our place, it's just that paved road ends about 100 yards going in and then it was dirt road (with craters as big as the moon's!) up to the entrance.. And yet Mr M still managed to drive our car through, hurrah! (And he's only just got home from 12.5 hours of work!) And then a footpath going up the ridge.. Oh, and if darkness settled in, being covered by trees, we probably wouldn't have found our way back -- Hansel and Gretel style!

This, my luvies, is HOOBER STAND.

Illusion of falling better when viewed LARGE

A 98 ft high building, 518 feet above sea level (and you can see Mr M at the front doors, not looking amused, bless him!)situated on a ridge in Wentworth, South Yorkshire. It was designed by Henry Flitcroft for the Whig aristocrat Thomas Watson-Wentworth, Earl of Malton (later the 1st Marquess of Rockingham) to commemorate the quashing of the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion; also in homage to King George II following the Earl of Malton's elevation as Marquis. It was built between 1745 - 1749.

The front view as seen here has a marble panel, the inscription on which reads:
1748
This Pyramidal Building was Erected by his Majesty's most Dutyfull (sic) Subject THOMAS, Marquess of Rockingham & ca In Grateful Respect to the Preserver of our Religion Laws and Libertys (sic) KING GEORGE THE SECOND Who by the blessing of God having subdued a most Unnatural Rebellion in Britain Anno 1746 Maintains the Ballance (sic) of Power and Settles A Just and Honourable Peace in Europe 1748

The inward taper of the upper part of the three walls causes an optical illusion that the stand is falling over. The cupola, although situated over the centre of the building, appears to move from side to side as the tower is approached from different angles.

This is one of the Wentworth Follies, the other three being: The Needles Eye, Keppel's Column and The Rockingham Mausoleum, which only opens on Sunday at 2-5pm between the May Bank Holiday Sunday and August Bank Holiday Sunday -- because the grounds on which it stands on is owned privately already, another long story..

There you go luvies! I hope everyone has had a fab weekend! x