Tower of light and dark

The gold-tipped monument that towers above Bath is an architectural jewel and a visceral reminder of the evils of slavery. PAUL BLOOMFIELD visits the newly restored haven built by the wealthy outcast William Beckford

- PAUL BLOOMFIELD

Looming above Bath's Georgian grandeur soars a slender structure topped by a gilded cupola. Though it glimmers like a candle on the skyline, the compelling story of this 47-metre-tall neoclassical monument has a dark heart.

Lansdown Tower, as it was called when built in 1826-27, was the brainchild of William Beckford. Born in 1760, scion of a family grown enormously rich from Jamaican sugar plantations, he was dubbed "England's wealthiest son" by Lord Byron. Like many privileged youths, he undertook a Grand Tour in Europe, collecting art, literature and learning; at just 21, he wrote the Gothic novel Vathek. But in 1784, Beckford was forced into exile after his abusive relationship with a young male acquaintance, William Courtenay, was exposed.