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All the United Kingdom England Laneshawbridge The Atom Panopticon

The Atom Panopticon

This round structure dotted with portals is one of several pieces scattered throughout Lancashire.

Laneshawbridge, England

Added By
redpixiedust
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The Atom Panopticon   Graham Hogg / CC BY-SA 2.0
The Atom Panopticon   Graham Hogg / CC BY-SA 2.0
  redpixiedust / Atlas Obscura User
  redpixiedust / Atlas Obscura User
  redpixiedust / Atlas Obscura User
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  rbenn250 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

On the hillside above Wycoller Country Park sits a round, folly-like pavilion known as The Atom. Holes in the side of the concrete structure frame the panoramic views.

The Atom was designed by Peter Meacock, Andrew Edmunds and Katarina Novomestska and completed in 2006. It is one of four “panopticons” scattered throughout Lancashire. The chosen panopticons (a term coined by late 19th-century philosopher Jeremy Bentham meaning “a space or device providing a panoramic view”) include the Atom; the Singing Ringing Tree in Burnley, designed by Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu; the Colourfields in Blackburn, designed by Jo Rippon Architecture and artist Sophie Smallhorn; and the Haslingden Halo, designed by LandLab architect John Kennedy.

The country park below features scenery featured in films such as The Railway Children and Fairy Tale and has links with the Brontes. It has several interesting bridges, with one thought to date back to neolithic times.

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Access via the Atom car park or climb the hill from the park below. There is a 10-minute walk from the Trawden side car park into Wycoller village.

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redpixiedust

Edited By

rbenn250, Michelle Cassidy

  • rbenn250
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

November 2, 2022

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Sources
  • https://www.visitlancashire.com/things-to-do/atom-panopticon-p66570
  • https://www.visitnorthwest.com/sights/the-atom/
The Atom Panopticon
Lancashire Moor Rd
Laneshawbridge, England, BB8 7HX
United Kingdom
53.849632, -2.09673
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England

United Kingdom

Places 2,199
Stories 144

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,199
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