Tower Bends is situated adjacent the 25th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course

Snaefell mountain course

Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course is a road-racing circuit used for the Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix Races held in the Isle of Man from 1911 and 1923 respectively. The racing is held on public roads closed for racing by an Act of Tynwald...

 used for the Isle of Man TT

Isle of Man TT

The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...

 Races on the A18

A18 road (Isle of Man)

The A18 Snaefell Mountain Road or Mountain Road is 15.30 miles long road in the Isle of Man and is a primary road which connects Douglas with Ramsey. The A18 Mountain Road is part of Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course is a road-racing circuit used for the Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand...

 Snaefell Mountain Road in the parish of Maughold

Maughold (parish)

Maughold is a village and parish in the Isle of Man. It is named for Maughold, the island's patron saint.The village of Maughold lies on the coast some three miles from Ramsey, with mountainous terrain on its landward side. The parish includes most of the North Barrule, the second highest hill on...

 in the Isle of Man

Isle of Man

The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...

.

During a Royal visit to the Isle of Man by Queen Victoria

Victoria of the United Kingdom

Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....

 and Albert, Prince Consort aboard the Royal Yacht HMY Victoria and Albert

HMY Victoria and Albert

HMY Victoria and Albert was a twin paddle steamer launched 25 April 1843. It functioned as a Royal Yacht of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, owned and operated by the Royal Navy. She laid down in 1842 at Pembroke Dock and was designed by Symonds...

 on 20 September 1847, the Prince Consort was rowed ashore and landed at Ballure shore near Ramsey

Ramsey, Isle of Man

Ramsey is a town in the north of the Isle of Man. It is the second largest town on the island after Douglas. Its population is 7,309 according to the 2006 census . It has one of the biggest harbours on the island, and has a prominent derelict pier, called the Queen's Pier. It was formerly one of...

. After climbing the Lhergy Frissell , the Prince Consort viewed the nearby town of Ramsey and the northern plain of the Isle of Man. The site became known as Albert's Mount and in 1848 a tower in the Scottish baronial style was built on the site of granite

Granite

Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...

 and local slate of 45 feet (13.5 m) in height and 16 feet (4.9m) square at the base.

The S-bend corner at Tower Bends was part of the Highland Course and the Four Inch Course

Four Inch Course

Four-Inch Course is a road-racing circuit first used for the 1908 Tourist Trophy Race for racing automobiles. The races were held on public roads closed for racing by an Act of Tynwald...

 used for the Gordon Bennett Trial and Tourist Trophy

RAC Tourist Trophy

The International Tourist Trophy is an award given by the Royal Automobile Club and awarded semi-annually to the winners of a selected motor racing event each year in the United Kingdom. It was first awarded in 1905 and continues to be awarded to this day, making it the longest lasting trophy in...

 automobile car races held in the Isle of Man between 1904 and 1922. Tower Bends is now part of the Snaefell Mountain Course used since 1911 for the Isle of Man TT

Isle of Man TT

The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...

 and 1923 for the Manx Grand Prix

Manx Grand Prix

The Manx Grand Prix motorcycle races are held on the Isle of Man TT Course every year for a two-week period usually spanning the end of August and early September. The 'MGP' or 'Manx' is considered to be the amateur riders' alternative to the Isle of Man TT Races held in May and June...

Races.

External links