Location
Meethill to the South of the town overlooking the bay
Peterhead, Aberdeenshire
OS Map Reference
NK122 446
Date
1834
Description
A tall tapering five storey tower, Greek cross in section, with a crenellated parapet corbelled out over the remainder.
In the photograph it is being towered over by an oil rig in the bay ' Galaxy I' estimated at around 100m high since the monument is 58m above sea level. the stone over the door is inscribed; Reform Tower Erected 1832, Renewed by Kenneth Smith Of Meethill 1907
Related Information
George Mudie on behalf of the Whigs (liberals) had this built to celebrate the Reform Act intending it also as an observatory which never materialised.
The hill is the site of tumulus; found when it was dug into for the Reform Tower foundations. A cist was found, also fragments of human bones and a food vessel. There appears to be some confusion as to the find site of the remains, as the Arbuthnott museum says -found below foundations of Meethill Monument, Broad Street, Peterhead- There are two monuments, one in the town of Peterhead to commemorate the Reform Bill erected by the Tories, the other the Reform Tower on Meet Hill, erected by the Whigs. (from Aberdeenshire Sites and Monuments Records).
The Reform Act of 1832 resulted in Peterhead becoming a 'Parliamentary' burgh. Along with the royal burghs of Elgin, Banff, Cullen, Inverurie and Kintore, it formed the Elgin Group, which returned one member to the House of Commons. Male householders, whose property was valued at £10 or more annually, were enfranchised for the first time. Local Whigs decided to commemorate the passing of the Act by erecting the 'Reform Tower' (Meethill monument) on the Meethill on the southern outskirts of the town. The foundation stone was laid on 8th August 1832, and it was intended that the tower should become an observatory, but it was never properly completed (Buchan, Jim. Peterhead and District in Old Picture Postcards ISBN: 9028860878).
The following information is from David K M Smith:
"My great grandfather Kenneth Smith bought Meethill in the late 1800's. The tower stood on the middle of the farm. In fact my family and I still live on the remains of the farm to the south of what is now Tower Hill.
The article mentions that the tower was never properly completed.
This is not quite true. It was up until my Great Grandfather's time unfinished.
He completed the monument by building a room with a battlement over it on the top the existing tower. There is a stone commemorating him over the door to the tower.
The story leading up to this which was handed down to us as kids was that the uncompleted tower was often played on by local children. The topmost stones were being occasionally pushed off during this 'play'. On one occasion the worst happened and a child was struck and I think killed by a falling stone. My great grandfather decided enough was enough and had the work carried out.
A heavy wooden door was also added at the foot of the tower with the key got on request from the farm cottage or Meethill House.
The room has four windows, was lined with tongue and groove pine boarding and had a wooden floor. There was a wooden stair leading from the top of the spiral granite staircase of the tower which gave access to a trapdoor into the room. To get from the room onto the battlement one had to climb a vertical ladder which led to a hatch in the ceiling / battlement floor.
The room had initials and cryptic messages carved into the planks on the walls dating back to the turn of last century. A great record.
I remember as a child there was also a telescope, binoculars and a spittoon which were left for whoever wanted to use them.
Sadly the room was totally vandalised shortly after my father sold the farm in the early 1970's. All the lining was ripped off and thrown through the four now smashed windows. A few years later the wooden floor was removed in its entirety by the Building company developing Tower Hill. This I think in an attempt to prevent another accident should someone fall from the room.
The tower now has a locked steel door at it base and unfortunately not only have the wonderful views from the room been lost but the elements will slowly be taking their toll internally. I have no doubt that at some time in the future someone will realise that the structure is becoming unsafe and there then will be a dilemma on whether to repair it or take it down. The latter being unthinkable."
Era
1800s
Information Source
Aberdeenshire Sites and Monuments Records, Buchan, Jim. Peterhead and District in Old Picture Postcards Europese Bibliotheek B.V., Uitgeverij Boekhandel A, 1995 ISBN: 9028860878, Banff & Buchan an Illustrated Architectural Guide, C. McKean, RIAS 1990. David K M Smith by email.
Related Artefacts
Categories
Iconography
- cross, Greek
Photographer
- Stanley Bruce
Unavailable Data
- Creator
- External Links
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