Northampton Webcam from the National Lift Tower

Northampton doesn’t have a reputation for being one of the most eye-catching British towns. Stay with the views on this live feed for a bit and you’ll begin to appreciate that even catching glimpses of this East Midlands town from the lofty heights of the National Lift Tower doesn’t make it any more scenically attractive.

While you can’t see it on this cam, for the obvious reason that’s where the cam is located, the lift tower is one of the most, if not the only, outstanding features of Northampton’s otherwise dull skyline. The chimney-like, one-hundred and twenty seven metre high tower was built in the early 80s to test lifts for the now defunct Express Lift Company. Northampton may not have many claims to fame, but the tower is one of them. Why? It’s the only lift tower existing in Britain and although it’s no longer used for the purpose it was constructed, it’s still in use for ascents and even speedier descents. These days, rather than testing lifts, the tower tests the nerve of adventurous abseilers and fair play to anyone that gives it a go as it’s the highest abseil tower in the world.