Turret – Ebb Then Flood

The Tin Man House

August 21, 2019 by Ebb Then Flood

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Continuing on from the last post, Turret House ,here is the other place mentioned therein, the so-called “Tin Man House’. I guess because of the turret’s likeness to the hat worn by that character in ‘The Wizard Of Oz’, not because it has no heart…it does.

This gothic beauty ,with its white paintwork gleaming in the sunlight,looks harmless enough right now,but at midnight on a moonless night I reckon the turret would be more akin to the Wicked Witch’s hat, and emanating serious spookiness and evil… I won’t be creeping round in the dark to find out though…

Turret House

August 20, 2019August 19, 2019 by Ebb Then Flood

20190818_193001 Cool house turret in Ponsonby, inner Auckland City.

Turrets are alluring to me.

Why?

Gothic charm, for sure.

Any shape, as long as it fits the bill – round, square, hexagonal, octagonal even; flat- topped or pointy like a witch’s hat.

Something left over from ancient times; a throwback.

A detached but special view over the world below.

Exclusive – most of them are not built for a crowd. Party for one, or two, maybe?

They reek of twisted fairy tales. A friend recognised a house from a photo I took of another turreted specimen nearby to this one, and told me it was known to him as the ‘The Tin Man House’.

Lastly,the very fact that they are not essential to the structure of whatever building they are tacked onto, but utterly transform the place when added. A paradox of design!

Ponsonby Mansion

April 13, 2019April 13, 2019 by Ebb Then Flood

In Ponsonby during the week having a catch up with a friend and walked past this beauty. Not sure what purpose it has now , but whoever had this built knew what they were doing. Amazingly well preserved, solid as the proverbial brick shithouse but with fiddly, ornate wrought iron work and wooden balcony, plus a turret at the top, like a cherry on a cake. It is not like a turret is an essential, but they push the heights and limits of a design without changing the whole thing, adding no doubt amazing views.So much more than just a finishing touch – they are ineffably cool and I adore them ! All boxes ticked for me then…