C.Rayz's photos with the keyword: observatory

The Brightling Observatory is located on the Brightling-Burwash road, at latitude 50 57 44 and in longitude 0 22 42E, and is now a private residence. For more information about them you can visit his site: John Fuller Follies

Installation of a Cassegrain type telescope of 8.5 inches (22 cm) aperture was proposed. However, the aperture of the original dome was deemed too narrow for effective use.for a telescope of this aperture to function effectively. Vetterlein was commissioned to design a new dome which was constructed at R N Irving. " The dome rotated by means of ballraced wheels mounted on a circular track and driven by a small electric motor. The dome could be locked against rotation from the wind. There was also provision to prevent the dome from lifting. The Dall-Cassegrain telescope was completed towards the end of 1966. Suffice to say the instrument was something of a prototype (the forerunner to the now familiar Schmidt-Cassegrain). Dall was a highly competent optical draftsman and the system, once adjusted, gave good results. " For more information about them you can visit his site: John Fuller Follies

It is commonly believed that Fuller's inspiration for building the Observatory came from his friend and noted astronomer Sir William Herschel. Born Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel in Germany, Herschel is perhaps best known for his discovery of the planet Uranus in 1781. For more information about them you can visit his site: John Fuller Follies

The Observatory was equipped with expensive equipment including a Camera Obscura. During the 19th century, room Camera Obscuras became very popular across Europe. For more information about them you can visit his site: John Fuller Follies

In the autumn of 1964 John Vetterlein was engaged by Commander Hugh Malleson (Royal Navy retired), then owner of the observatory, to assess its viability. The following is an abstract from a mongraph written by Vetterlein and published by Spring Ast LIX, Springfield, Rousay, Orkney, 2001. " ...The observatory was close to the highest piece of ground (620 feet OD marked by an obelisk) for many miles and was ideally suited (or was in the days of its inception, Eastbourne now posing a light pollution hazard) for astronomical work. I found the dome (approximately 8 feet in diameter) had been surmounted by a Negretti and Zambra cup anemometer, the control panel being read in the main room of the house on the ground floor. The narrow shutters were hinged but immovable, as was the dome itself, the large iron wheels on which it stood having seized. We undertook to remove the shutters and to replace them with a single lateral sliding stainless steel shutter. In addition we agreed to free the wheels and to conduct experiments to see if it might be possible to attach a motor drive for rotating the dome. " For more information about them you can visit his site: John Fuller Follies

Artists used different types of Camera Obscura to trace accurate images from nature and incorporate these images into their drawings and paintings. With this in mind, one wonders if frequent visitor to Rose Hill, J M W Turner may have made use of the Camera Obscura while there. For more information about them you can visit his site: John Fuller Follies

Designed by Sir Robert Smirke for Jack Fuller in 1810, the Brightling Observatory was completed in 1818. For more information about them you can visit his site: John Fuller Follies

Here is a small mosaic (made with FD Flickrtoys) of the John 'Mad Jack' Fuller Follies, located in and around Brightling, East Sussex, UK. For more information about them you can visit his site: John Fuller Follies For even more info and a map of the most widely known ones visit here: Folly Towers Site A BIG thanks to the folks at John 'Mad Jack' Fuller for most of the very interesting information posted on the photo pages Amazingly almost all of these are visible from each other, many are within in walking distance although we drove the tour, and I recommend you drive if walking across country isn't for you. I made this mosaic so that others in my local area can get information on visiting them as well, many people I know in or around Hastings had no idea they were so close or that they even existed. We had a wonderful day out visiting them all and it was so fun coming up with our own ideas of what some of them may or may not have been made for. Most of them are on/in Brightling Park and are accessible through public footpaths or have some access to get fairly close. The Temple and the Obelisk are on private property so its best to ask, all parties were more then happy for us to have a close up look when we asked. The Observatory is a private residence now, and has a path around the building that is accessible, the owners have grown a hedge around it to have some privacy however left conservatory side open for visitors. The Church in Dallington is the spire that the Sugar Loaf was made to resemble and is a lovely church and village if you have time to swing by there as well. Brightling Church is ancient and open to visitors if you get time to have a wander around you'll see the markers from the 17th century adorning the church walls, as well as even older paintings that were accidently covered by John Fuller while renovating and have been recovered. The Summerhouse as its called is the only one we didn't get up close and personal with, as there was a riding exhibition or practice going on in the field with easy access. It also appears that the footpath leading away from the Sugar Loaf would get you there, if your feeling up for a bit of a hike. I'm definitely going to plan a day trip back to see it, the work in Coade fake stone is supposed to be quite impressive for its time. Another map showing the locations here: Google Maps by Me Anyway hope someone enjoys the virtual tour as much as I did posting it up, and taking the shots. Definitely you want to get yourself out there one day and see them all if you haven't already :)