01-05-2025
Britain's answer to the 'leaning tower of Pisa' could turn seaside town into popular hotspot
A Somerset seaside town is hoping to woo in legions of tourists - by offering them the chance to pose with its answer to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
The famous Italian landmark - which leans at an gentle angle of 3.9 degrees - attracts more than five million visitors a year.
However, the medieval stone church tower of St Andrews in Burnham-on-Sea, which is around the same age as Pisa's tower, leans by an incredible 15 degrees, making it more than four times wonkier.
Local tourist chiefs are frustrated that the small Somerset beach town receives a tiny number of visitors compared to Pisa.
To add insult to injury, Burnham has just been called the UK's third worst seaside spot by the Which? organisation.
The Somerset town was given one star for its tourist attractions, food and drink, and shopping, and two stars for its pier (Britain's smallest) and seafront (which features three lighthouses).
The town's visitor centre is dismayed that the survey by the Which? Organisation completely neglected to mention Burnham's hidden claim to international fame: one of the world's most leaning buildings.
The 78ft high church tower was built on sandy shore close to the beach in the 14th century – and has been alarmingly wonky ever since.
It looks extraordinary from some angles but is considered stable. The tower is only occasionally open to visitors however.
Manager of Burnham's visitor centre, Ian Jefferies, has climbed the narrow spiral staircase and stood on the top.
He says: 'It's amazing up there. It's so tilted it feels like you're going to fall off.'
A plumb line drop from the tower would be three feet away from the tower at ground level.
Now a visitors heritage trail has been launched in the town using wall-mounted QR codes that provide more information on 31 of its historic landmarks.
Of course, the leaning tower is one of the highlights.
With only 18 reviews on Tripadvisor the Burnham tower is lagging somewhat behind Pisa's rival, which has 24,224 reviews.
Nevertheless, one Somerset visitor describes that 'the tower leans beautifully'.
The pretty stone church is considered an unsung historic landmark by its few visitors.
It contains rare and beautiful marble statues by Sir Christopher Wren.
Despite the spectacular lean, the tower used to function as a lighthouse with a lantern on top warning ships of perilous sandbanks around the entrance to the River Parrett.
Classic photo op: Pisa's tower has attracted tourists who want to see its famous tilt in person for centuries
In fact, as well as the Leaning Tower of Burnham, the town also has a bizarre collection of lighthouses.
It's picturesque nine-legged 30ft-high wooden one was built in 1832 on offshore tidal flats.
It has been voted one of the world's most beautiful lighthouses.
Another lighthouse is a bizarre round stone cylinder built by a local vicar 300 years ago as part of a seafront house.
The third stands incongruously among suburban houses some way inland – it's 100ft tower is now a private house.
SO, WHY DOES THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA LEAN?
Theories suggest that the 57 metre (186-feet) tower, which has been a mystery to experts for hundreds of years, began to sink after construction - which began in 1173.
The cause was due to a flawed design which meant it had a foundation that was only three-metres deep and was set in weak, unstable subsoil.
This base was also softer on the southern side, resulting in the eponymous lean, so builders tried to compensate for it while they built its eight storeys upwards.
They did this by making the floors shorter on one side than the other, making the structure curved as well as tilting.
The medieval bell tower, a symbol of the power of the maritime republic of Pisa in the Middle Ages, has managed to survive, undamaged, at least four strong earthquakes that have hit the region since 1280.
