Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-01-12
OLD ENGLISH TOWERS
FREAKISH WALLS THAT DEFY
CRAVITATION.
0utrivaI Pisa of ItaIy-strange Inciina-
lions Probably Due to Treacherous
Masonry and Penny Grounds-Ths Old
Structure Bridge North.
London Letter

The leaning tower of risa, world
famous though it is, is not the only
instance of a tower inclining con-
-siderably from the perpendicular, for
there are quite a number of similar
architectural curiosities in England
and accruing to each is some Incl
dent in it's career that caused it to
take upon itself it's present deformity.
1t may be that the builders were at
fault, or that accidents made the tow
'ers incline to such an extent as to
Danish all hope of remedy; but these
leaning towers stin stand, modest ri
walls to that in Italy. it is true, but
no less quaint and no less void of ro-
nance.
Strange Tower OF Bristol.
Let the sKeptic who believes Eng
land is lacking in such freaks once pay
a visit to the Temple church at BriS-
toll and he will soon find his doubts
idispelled, for there may be found as
good a specimen of the leaning tower
as Britain can show. None seem to
know how the tower came to take
its inclining attitude, for there is no
event chronicled in its history that
leads one to believe that it was oriSi-
nally built upright. The masonry is
intact, the architecture faultless and
perpendicular, though only ia feet
high 1t may be that the decrepti-
tude of old age or unsound founda-
lions brought about this state of
things; if not, it can be only put
down to a freak on the part of the
builder.
AS one wander through Wales, in
Stinct with desire to inquire into the
history of its many romantic build
ings, the attention will, in all prob
ability, be arrested by Caerphilly
castle, in G1amorfanshire, because it
has tower that leans more than any
other in the united kingdom-that is
to say, it is eighty feet high and in
clines eleven feet from vertical po-
sition- The castle owns history full
of stirring incidents.
1t has withstood sieges, has been
battered almost to pieces and rebuilt
, from time to time, and has witnessed
scenes which in these enlightened
days. would inspire one with horror;
indeed, it owes it's defor,nity to an
act of barbarity on the part of the
defenders in 1926. 1t was originally
built in 1921 and from that time
downward was inha bited by Welsh
mobiles of power, who lived by the
sword and reyeIed in devastation. In
held out for three months. though the
besiegers outnumbered the defenders
by more than four to one. AS was
customary in those days, prior to any
form of humanity being introduced
into warfare, the besieged inhabitants
of the castle melted lead and poured
the molten metal upon the heads of
their assailants. While the Caer-
philly men were doing this the metal
exploded and not only killed the ma
jority of the defenders. but blew the
tower into the curious shape it retains
today, without bringing it down.
Due to Explosions.
But explosions have more than once
been the cause of present-day leaning
towers During the civil war Crom-
well besieged Bridgncrth castle In
Shropshire, which is now little more
than a mass of ruins, save that large
portion of the tower still stands
The defenders held the stronghold
calamity until the Roundhead leader,
becoming impatient, undermined and
blew it up with gunpowder. The cas-
tie fell, but the tower merely swerved
few Ieet from the perpendicular,
without SO much as brick coming
down. Likewise the leaning towers
of Corfe castle. in Dorsetshire, are
specimens of Cromwell's handiwork
1t held out successfully in the kings