Revision 167781032 of "Benutzer:Rhasselbusch/Clifton Observatory" on dewiki

{{Infobox Historic building
|image=Clifton Down - The Observatory (750px).jpg
|caption=
|name=The Observatory
|location_town=[[Bristol]]
|location_country=[[England]]
|map_type=Bristol
|coordinates = {{coord|51.45663|-2.62640|display=inline,title}}
|architect=
|client=
|engineer=
|construction_start_date=
|completion_date=1766
|url= [http://www.cliftonobservatory.com/ www.cliftonobservatory.com] 
|date_demolished=
|cost=
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|style=
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'''Clifton Observatory''' ({{gbmapping|ST564733}}) is a former mill, now used as an observatory, located on [[Clifton Down]], close to the [[Clifton Suspension Bridge]], [[Bristol]], [[England]]. 

The building was erected, with the permission of the [[Society of Merchant Venturers]], as a [[windmill]] for corn in 1766 and later converted to the grinding of [[Snuff (tobacco)|snuff]], when it became known as 'The Snuff Mill'. This was damaged by a fire on October 30, 1777, when the sails were left turning during a gale and caused the equipment to catch light. It was then derelict for 52 years until in 1828 [[William West (artist)|William West]], an artist, rented the old mill, for 5 shillings (25p) a year, as a [[studio]].<ref name="link">{{cite web | title=The Observatory | work=Bristol link | url=http://www.bristol-link.co.uk/history/observatory.htm | accessdate=2007-05-03}}</ref>

In 1977, the Merchant Venturers sold the observatory to [[Honorbrook Inns]]; however, they were obliged to maintain public access to the camera obscura whose ownership was retained by the Merchant Venturers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Downs Management Plan 2006 |work=Bristol City Council |url=http://www.bristol.gov.uk/committee/2006/wa/wa017/0904_3.pdf |accessdate=2007-05-03 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930020411/http://www.bristol.gov.uk/committee/2006/wa/wa017/0904_3.pdf |archivedate=2007-09-30 |df= }}</ref>

It has been designated by [[English Heritage]] as a grade II* [[listed building]]<ref>{{cite web | title=Clifton Observatory | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=379207 | accessdate=2007-05-02}}</ref><ref name="NHLE">{{NHLE| num=1282362 |desc=Clifton Observatory |grade=II* |accessdate=20 March 2015}}</ref> and is on the [[Heritage at Risk Register|Buildings at Risk Register]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bristol.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/planning_and_building_regulations/conservation/listed_buildings/listed_buildings_at_risk/bristol-listed-buildings-at-risk-register-2011.pdf |title=Listed Buildings at Risk in Bristol 2011 Register |publisher=Bristol City Council |date=2011 |page=48 |accessdate=20 March 2015 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131008114505/http://www.bristol.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/planning_and_building_regulations/conservation/listed_buildings/listed_buildings_at_risk/bristol-listed-buildings-at-risk-register-2011.pdf |archivedate=8 October 2013 |df= }}</ref> In February 2015 the Observatory was bought by Ian Johnson, a local Bristol-based entrepreneur, who was born in Clifton not far from the Observatory.

==Camera obscura==
West installed telescopes and a [[camera obscura]], which were used by artists of the [[Bristol School]] to draw the [[Avon Gorge]] and [[Leigh Woods]] on the opposite side.<ref name="link"/> Many examples of these paintings can be seen in [[Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery]].  The pictures which originated from images within the camera obscura he called 'photogenic drawing'<ref name="cliftonfamous">{{cite web|title=Clifton Famous and Infamous |work=Clifton Online |url=http://www.cliftononline.net/History-of-Clifton/Clifton_Famous_and_Infamous.aspx |accessdate=2015-03-07 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402131942/http://www.cliftononline.net/History-of-Clifton/Clifton_Famous_and_Infamous.aspx |archivedate=2015-04-02 |df= }}</ref> and were based on the work of [[William Fox Talbot]].

A 5" (13&nbsp;cm) [[convex lens]] and sloping [[mirror]] were installed on the top of the tower; these project the [[panoramic]] view vertically downward into the darkened room below. Visitors view the true image (not a mirror image) on a fixed circular table 5 feet (1.5m) in diameter, with a concave metal surface, and turn the mirror by hand to change the direction of view.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Bristol Camera Oscura | work=Brighton and Hove Museums | url=http://www.foredown.virtualmuseum.info/camera_obscuras/uk_bristol.asp | accessdate=2007-05-03}}</ref>

==Cave==
[[Image:Stvincentscave.JPG|thumb|right|St Vincent's Cave]]
West also built a tunnel from the Observatory to St Vincent's Cave (also known as Ghyston's Cave or Giant's Cave), which opens onto St Vincent's Rocks on the cliff face, {{convert|250|ft|m|0}} above the floor of the Avon gorge and {{convert|90|ft|m|0}} below the cliff top.<ref>{{cite web | title=Clifton Observatory | work=About Bristol | url=http://www.about-bristol.co.uk/lnd-01.asp | accessdate=2007-05-03}}</ref> The tunnel which is {{convert|200|ft|m|0}} long, took two years to build at a cost of £1300, and first opened to the public in 1837.<ref name="cliftonfamous"/>

This [[cave]] was first mentioned as being a [[chapel]] in the year A.D. 305 and excavations, in which [[Romano-British]] [[pottery]] has been found, have revealed that it has been both a holy place and a place of refuge at various times in its history. Although the cave is in [[limestone]], there are few formations in the natural passages.<ref>{{cite web | title=Giant's Cave | work=Show caves of Britain | url=http://www.showcaves.com/english/gb/showcaves/Giants.html | accessdate=2007-05-03}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Grade II* listed buildings in Bristol]]
* [[The Downs (Bristol)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commonscat inline|Clifton Observatory}}
* [http://cliftonobservatory.com/ Clifton Observatory]
*{{EHbarName|Clifton+Observatory}}

{{Culture in Bristol}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Observatory, Bristol}}
[[Category:Industrial buildings completed in 1766]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Bristol]]
[[Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Bristol]]
[[Category:Structures on the Heritage at Risk register]]
[[Category:The Downs, Bristol]]
[[Category:Camera obscuras]]
[[Category:Clifton, Bristol]]
[[Category:Observation towers in the United Kingdom]]