A Gothic folly of 1798 on the Cotswold escarpment above Broadway, with museum floors, rooftop views, a Cold War bunker, and parkland on the trail.
Broadway Tower stands on the second-highest point of the Cotswolds, a Gothic folly completed in 1798 for the 6th Earl of Coventry. Capability Brown had earlier suggested a landmark on this skyline; the tower was built as a picturesque feature that could be seen from the Earl's Worcestershire houses, and as a token for his wife, Barbara St John. It sits in a family-run country park of about 50 acres above the village of Broadway.
The building mixes architectural styles and has had several lives: a printing press associated with Sir Thomas Phillipps, a country retreat used by William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and later a farmhouse. Three museum floors interpret that history before a rooftop platform from which, on a clear day, views can extend across many counties. Red deer graze in the park, and a circular walk through the grounds is a straightforward addition to a visit.
Close to the tower is a former Cold War nuclear monitoring bunker, kept secret until it was decommissioned in 1991. It is presented as it was when crewed by the Royal Observer Corps. Guided tours, typically around 45 minutes, are offered on weekends and bank holidays from April to October; check current dates before you plan around them.
The Cotswold Way passes close to the tower on the escarpment above Broadway, so many walkers make the short climb as part of Stage 1 or as a rest-day outing from the village. The site is about one mile south-east of Broadway off the A44 (Middle Hill, WR12 7LB). Cafes and a shop operate on the estate; opening hours and ticket prices change with the season, and the tower is usually closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day. Confirm details on the Broadway Tower website before you divert from the path.
