Listed Building record MDO16816 - The Globe to SE of Durlston Head Castle

Purbeck stone globe erected in 1891 as a feature of the Durlston estate. Surrounded by early nineteenth century cast iron bollards bearing names of former London parishes, slavaged from London in late nineteenth century.

The Globe was erected to the south-east of Durlston Head Castle in around 1891. It is a stone globe with a 10 foot radius and is surrounded by a circle of cast iron railings. It would have been an interesting and educational attraction to Victorians promenading along the Swanage coastline. At the base of the Globe is a tablet, which records distances between stars and planets. Behind the Globe, set into the slope, are a series of panels with quotations from the Bible, Shakesphere, the Aeneid and Tennyson as well as tables of further distances. The Globe is a highly significant seaside monument at Swanage, an integral part of its heritage, which provides a fascinating insight into how Victorians interpreted the World and the Universe. <1>

Record last edited

Jan 1 2024 2:17PM