Redcliffe Shot Tower

In 1782, William Watts, a plumber, lived on Redcliffe Hill, just opposite St Mary Redcliffe church. The story goes that he had a dream in which he was caught in a heavy shower whilst walking through Hotwells. Instead of water it was raining molten lead which fell in perfect spheres. This dream nagged at him and so he organised an experiment. He poured molten lead from the tower of St Mary Redcliffe church into a vat of water. The experiment was a success, for lying at the bottom of the water were the spheres of lead he had dreamed about.

He was so convinced that he dismantled his house, raised a tower and removed the kitchen floor flagstones so lead could fall freely from the roof into the deep well below. Watts’ tower stood opposite Redcliffe Church until it was pulled down for road improvements in the 1960s.

Watts eventually sold the business to Sheldon Bush and Co. for £10,000, investing much of it in property speculation on the Clifton hillside.

The original