Surrey's Hidden Tower: Semaphore Tower Open Days, September 2025

The Landmark Trust

Visit this hidden tower with fascinating history on Chatley Heath

Chatley Heath Semaphore Tower

Join us to explore Semaphore Tower on Saturday 13 - Sunday 14 September 2025. We'll be open between 10am-4pm over the weekend for Heritage Open Days.Semaphore Tower is a unique remnant from the Napoleonic era, the Grade II* listed brick structure is the only surviving semaphore tower in Britain. It was once a cutting-edge building at the forefront of technology and design, a vital link in a signalling chain that transmitted messages from Admiralty House in London to Portsmouth Docks in just a few minutes.Admission is free and leaflets on the building's history and children's activity sheets will be available on site. <h3>Making a donation to Landmark as part of your visit</h3>We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to visit a Landmark for free as part of our Open Day programme, and as such we’re pleased to continue to offer free entry at all our Open Days in 2025. The Landmark Trust is a building conservation charity that relies on donations to support its work. Over the past 60 years, public support has helped us rescue over 200 historic buildings and make them available for all to experience and enjoy. Your support by attending our events, booking a workshop, and making a donation allows us to continue to save buildings at risk and continue to maintain those already in our care. Your donation could help train the craftspeople needed to restore a future Landmark, offer opportunities for young people to experience history first-hand, or provide a charity with free Landmark stay for their service users through our <a href="https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/news-and-events/50-for-free/" title="https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/news-and-events/50-for-free/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">50 for Free scheme.</a>Donations can be made when you book your Eventbrite ticket, at the event via contactless donation points, or after your visit via our website under <a href="https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/support-us/" title="https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/support-us/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Support.</a> Finding usPlease note there are major scheduled roadworks taking place on the M25 Juction 10/Wisley interchange that will affect your route. Last-minute closures may occur, please check the National Highways website: <a href="https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/south-east/m25-junction-10/" title="https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/south-east/m25-junction-10/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">M25 junction 10 - National Highways</a>There is no parking at this building. Please use nearby 'Pond car park', postcode: KT11 1ND. More information on local parking can be found here: <a href="https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/culture-and-leisure/countryside/sites/visitor-information/wisley-and-ockham-commons" title="https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/culture-and-leisure/countryside/sites/visitor-information/wisley-and-ockham-commons" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Wisley and Ockham Commons - Surrey County Council (surreycc.gov.uk)</a>Ockham Common car parks are around 10-15 minutes walk to the Semaphore Tower. There are clearly marked paths from both car parks up the hill to the tower. Look out for red and blue 'Chatley Heath' markers along the paths.Please do not navigate by Google Maps or SatNav in your car straight to the tower. You'll end up in one of our neighbours driveways on the wrong side of a gate. AccessibilitySemaphore Tower is around 15 minute walk from either car park on Ockham Common car parks. Paths take an incline up the hill and are uneven at times with a number of steps.Semaphore Tower is a small building with a tight staircase so in order to keep visitors safe we will be limiting the number of people allowed in at one time; this could mean that if you arrive at a particularly busy time you may be asked to wait to gain entry.We do all we can to enable access wherever possible; for further information or if you have any access concerns that you’d like to discuss before visiting, please contact our Booking Enquiries team on 01628 825925 or booking@landmarktrust.org.uk. The Booking Office is open Mon to Fri - 9am to 5pm.