These pictures show the dizzying heights from which a specialist team of stonemasonsare repairing the historic King Alfred’s Tower near the National Trust’s Stourhead.

The work, which began last week at a height of 160-feet, is part of the National Trust’s £640,000 project to repair the 14 buildings and structures around the grounds at Stourhead.

Having received donations, including £96,000 from Viridor Credits Environmental Company and support from the Mackintosh Foundation championed by local resident Sir Cameron Mackintosh, more work is planned to be done on the tower.

This includes replacing part of the roof, repairing the walkway around the top of the tower and brickwork repairs.

The tower, a triangular folly located two miles from Stourhead’s Palladian house, was built in about 1772 on the site where it was believed King Alfred had rallied his troops before a battle against Danish invaders in AD 879.

Jo Atkins, fundraising manager for the National Trust, said: “It was thanks to a huge outpouring of public support for the tower that we were able to secure the grants which means a much loved building will be made safe for years to come.

“There are number of challenges faced in looking after historic National Trust buildings and bringing in a team of abseiling stonemasons highlights one of those challenges.

“The repairs to the tower are part of a wider £640,000 project to conserve the buildings, features and structures around the grounds at Stourhead.

“Most of them need some conservation maintenance work with several in need of extensive repairs.”

To make a donation, visit http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead/donate-now