{{Short description|Listed building in Longhoughton, Northumberland, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} thumb|Ratcheugh Observatory from the east '''Ratcheugh Observatory''' is a late 18th-century folly on a prominent crag{{efn|'heugh', pronounced 'huff', is a Northumberland word meaning "a precipitous hill, a cliff, a cleft or dell with steep sides, but without a stream in it".<ref>{{cite book|title=Northumberland Words|last=Heslop |first=Richard Oliver |author-link=Richard Oliver Heslop |url=https://archive.org/details/northumberlandw00heslgoog/page/n86/mode/2up |date=1894}}</ref>}} between Alnwick and Longhoughton in north Northumberland, England. Commissioned by Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, the castellated Observatory incorporates a viewing tower with prospects of Alnwick and its castle, and of the North Sea coast at Boulmer.
==Location== Ratcheugh Observatory is located on Ratcheugh Crag, a local {{convert|120|m|adj=on}} whinstone high-point above a foreground of fields at {{convert|85|m|adj=on}} or lower elevations, situated {{convert|2.2|miles}} east-north-east of Alnwick and {{convert|1.2|miles}} west-south-west of Longhoughton; {{convert|2.5|miles}} inland from the coast at Boulmer, in north Northumberland.
==Observatory== The Observatory, a Grade I listed building,<ref name="EH1154280"/> is a screen-wall built at the crag edge, incorporated into which are a number of turrets or towers; and having towards its northern extent a square-plan viewing tower built on open hollow-chamfered arches. The tower has a single enclosed room, each wall having three large round-arched windows affording commanding views to the north-east, north-west, south-east and south-west. The structure is described by Historic England as a gazebo and eye-catcher in the Castellated Gothick style, and is constructed in rough-faced stone with ashlar dressings.<ref name="EH1154280">{{National Heritage List for England|num=1154280|desc=Ratcheugh Observatory}}</ref>
The Observatory was designed by (or follows a design outline of) Robert Adam, and dates from 1754–1770.<ref name="kttp">{{cite web|url=http://www.keystothepast.info/article/10339/Site-Details?PRN=N5706|website=Keys to the Past|title=Observatory at Ratcheugh Crag (Longhoughton)|access-date=6 January 2018}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It provides very fine views of Alnwick Castle, Hulne Park, Hulne Priory and other local possessions of the Duke; a 360° panorama of the local area, farmland used for fox hunting and point-to-point horse racing; and distant views of Dunstanburgh and Warkworth Castles and the Farne Islands.
It is one of a number of follies built on the skylines around Alnwick; others include the 1781 Brizlee Tower, another creation of the Duke;<ref name="EH1076985">{{National Heritage List for England|num=1076985|desc=Brizlee Tower}}</ref> Jenny's Lantern on the Bolton estate, and Crawley Tower on the Shawdon estate, all dating from the late 18th century.<ref name="EH1041960">{{National Heritage List for England|num=1041960|desc=Jenny's Lantern}}</ref><ref name="EH1057698">{{National Heritage List for England|num=1057698|desc=Crawley Tower}}</ref>
The Observatory incorporates a small cottage, an addition from around 1850.
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
{{coord|55.42231|N|1.64672|W|display=title|region:GB|format=dms}}
Category:Folly buildings in England Category:Grade I listed buildings in Northumberland Category:Observation towers in the United Kingdom Category:Towers completed in the 18th century Category:Towers in Northumberland Category:Longhoughton