Real-life Myst?

August 2007:

I've just got back from a few days in Northumberland and encountered these rather Myst-like structures (click on the images for the full-size pic - about 3MB each):

Some water features from Alnwick Garden:

An inverted fountain:

Close-up showing the water disappearing down the middle:

The "mirrored" top is actually the water source:

Steps going down inside this one:

And here's a video clip of it.

An overflowing champagne glass?:

Reminds me a little of the Hood fountains. Pity you can't really see the water clinging to the hemi-sphere:

Some views of the "Treehouse", also at Alnwick:

 

Paxton House

The following were taken in the grounds of Paxton House, which is actually in Scotland, but a good drive and pitching wedge would make it into Northumberland from this site:

From the distance - This looks odd?:

Even stranger from close-up:

Detail pics: