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FABULOUS FOLLIES
...and Landscape Curiosities

ATHELHAMPTON                                                  SY 770 942

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​Date taken: 11/08/2007

ATHELHAMPTON                                                  SY 770 942

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Dovecote

The dovecote at Athelhampton dates back to the early 16th century and has about 600 pigeon-holes. It is 25 feet high and 22 feet in diameter.








​Date taken: 11/08/2007

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ATHELHAMPTON                                                SY 770 941

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Pavilions

Francis Inigo Thomas designed two pavilions and the South Terrace at Athelhampton for Alfred Cart de Lafontaine in the 1890s. One, with a smiling face over the door, is called the House of Joy or the House of Summer, and the other is known as the House of Sorrow or the House of Winter and has a face surrounded with icicles.
The Pavilions originally had water tanks to supply the fountain.

Francis Inigo Thomas also designed two pavilions at     HICKLETON, West Riding.

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CASTLETON

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Sherborne Castle Thatched Picnic House











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CASTLETON                                                             ST 648 164

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Sherborne Castle Orangery

The Orangery was built between 1779 and 1781 and was known as the Greenhouse.

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CASTLETON                                                             ST 648 164

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Sherborne Castle Game Larder












Date taken: 17/08/2014


CASTLETON                                                             ST 648 164

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Sherborne Castle Ice House

The ice house was built in 1780 by Henry Plackett to replace the one built in 1757.









Date taken: 17/08/2014

CASTLETON                                                             ST 648 164

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Sherborne Castle Dairy

The Gothick style dairy was built in 1756, and still has stone thrawls.

The 4th century Roman mosaic pavement was discovered in 1834 at Leathray Common, on the outskirts of Sherborne, and then reset in the dairy floor in 1836. It depicts Apollo playing a lyre and Marsyas playing a double flute.

CASTLETON                                  

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Raleigh's Seat

Walter Raleigh acquired Sherborne Old Castle in 1592 and built Sherborne Lodge nearby. Raleigh's Seat was built on the perimeter wall as a viewing platform, and tradition has it that it is where he was drenched with water by a servant to extinguish his pipe.






​Date taken: 17/08/2014


CASTLETON

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Pope's Seat

Alexander Pope, a friend of owner Robert Digby, visited Sherborne Castle in 1724 and wrote a description of the gardens mentioning a 'rustic Seat of stone'.

It is thought that Henry Holland designed the present alcove in 1778, and it became known as Pope's Seat.





​Date taken: 17/08/2014


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CASTLETON                                                                 ST 648 167

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Sherborne Castle Sham Ruin

The sham ruin was built as an eycatcher to be seen from the new Sherborne Castle, and as an addition to the old Sherborne Castle. 

In 1756 Daniel Penny was paid £22 15s 5d for 'building ruins under the castle', and £4 8s 6d in 1757.




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Sham Wall

In the estate accounts for 1755 there is an entry of £10 6s 6d for a stone wall.









​Date taken:17/08/2014


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GODMANSTONE                                                   SY 667 973

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  The Smith's Arms

  
The Smith's Arms, said to be the smallest pub in   England, was originally a blacksmith's forge dating back   to the 15th century. King Charles II stopped here to   have his horse shod, but when he asked for a drink, the   blacksmith replied, 'I have no license sir'. So the king   granted him one. 

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HORTON                                                                  SU 030 067

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Sturt's Folly

The 140 feet high tower at Horton was built by Humphrey Sturt about 1722. He probably intended it to be an observatory and hunting stand.

In 1762 Edward Gibbon visited Sturt's estate and wrote;

    an artificial piece of water of two hundred acres and an elegant turret 140 feet high; but such a nature is the man that he keeps his place in no order, sells his fish, and makes a granary of his turret.

​Date taken: 17/08/2014

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KIMMERIDGE                                                         SY 908 786

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Clavell Tower

The tower was built in 1820 by Rev John Richards, who inherited the Smedmore Estate and added Clavell to his name.

The photograph shows the tower almost falling into the sea, but it has now been moved further inland and is a Landmark Trust holiday let.

LYME REGIS                                                            SY 334 919

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Umbrella Cottage

Also known as the Mushroom Cottage, the early 19th century 'cottage orne' was once a gardener's cottage.

​There is another Mushroom Cottage at Hornsea, East Riding.

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Date taken: 04/10/2010

 MAPPERTON                                                        SY 503 997

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Orangery

The neo-classical orangery at the Italianate Mapperton Gardens was built for Victor Montagu in 1970.

MAPPERTON                                                       SY 503 997

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  Croquet Pavilion

 

MAPPERTON                                                      SY 503 997

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  Summerhouse

OSMINGTON

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 White Horse

 The hill figure was cut into the chalk of Osmington Hill in   1808 and is 280 feet long and 323 feet high. It is said to   represent King George III who visited Weymouth on his   horse, however he may have been annoyed as the rider is   facing away from the town.

 It was re-cut in 2012 for the Olympics.

PAMPHILL                                                              ST 977 011                         

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Egyptian Obelisk

The Egyptian Obelisk at Kingston Lacy was first erected about 150BC by priests on the island of Philae to record their exemption from taxes. Its base was inscribed with the names, in Greek, of PTOLEMY VII and his sister CLEOPATRA, and the obelisk was decorated with the names of kings and gods. The Philae Obelisk played a role, along with the Rosetta Stone, in deciphering the hieroglyphs.

It was discovered by William John Bankes in 1815 and he took it to his estate at Kingston Lacy in 1821, and erected it in 1839.

PAMPHILL                                                              ST 978 010

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Jubilee Obelisk

The obelisk, dated 1887, commemorating Queen Victoria's jubilee is one of the three obelisks at Kingston Lacy.


















Date taken: 03/10/2010

PAMPHILL                                                               ST 976 010

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Obelisk

The obelisk at Kingston Lacy near the ha-ha has no inscription and is probably 18th century.









​Date taken: 03/10/2010

PORTESHAM                                                          SY 613 876

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Hardy's Monument

The 70 feet high monument to Admiral Hardy was designed by A.D.Troyte and built in 1844. Perhaps the public subscribers were disappointed by its factory chimney-like appearance, but it does have a spiral staircase and the views from the top are stunning. It commemorates, 'Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy Bart, CCB, Flag Captain to Lord Nelson on HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar'.


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​Date taken: 04/10/2010

SHAFTSBURY

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The Hovis Loaf

The giant Hovis Loaf was created in 1980 after the Hovis advert that was filmed on the steep Gold Hill. It was made as a money box and raised money towards having Gold Hill's cobbles refurbished. 

It has also been refurbished having become rather stale. 




​Date taken: 05/10/2010

STEEPLE                                                                   SY 912 817

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Grange Arch

Dennis Bond, of Creech Grange, had an eyecatcher built in about 1746 to be seen from his house.

The Bond family must have had an eye for fashion, as they had developed Bond Street in 1684.

Other eyecatcher arches can be seen at;
STEEPLE ASTON, Oxfordshire
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'Hundy Mundy', NEWTHORN, Borders

SWANAGE                                                                   SZ 037 786

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Wellington Clock Tower

The tower was designed in the Perpendicular style by Arthur Ashpital and built in 1854 at the southern approach to London Bridge as a memorial to the Duke of Wellington. It became an obstruction to traffic and re-erected, minus the clock, on its present site in 1867 by Thomas Dowca who had been given it by his friend, George Burt. It is thought that the owner in 1904 was offended that a secular building should have an ecclesiastical style so the spire was replaced by a cupola. 

SWANAGE                                                               SZ 033 772

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  Durlston Head Castle

  Durlston Head Castle was built for George Burt in 1887   as a restaurant for a holiday complex.

  It has recently undergone extensive restoration and is   now a restaurant once more.

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​Date taken: 30/09/2015

SWANAGE

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The Globe

The large Globe is one of many follies that George Burt made in the late 19th century. It weighs 40 tons and is 10 feet in diameter.








​Date taken: 07/10/2010

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TOLPUDDLE                                 

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Sculpture

The sculpture is of George Loveless awaiting transportation to Australia to join the other five Tolpuddle Martyrs but too sick to travel.








​Date taken: 08/10/2010

UPWEY                                                                    SY 660 851

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 The Wishing Well

 In 1212 the parish was known as Helewell, which meant   'healing well'.

 King George took the waters there.

 The wellhead, the springhead of the River Wey, was built   in the 19th century and was rebuilt in 1991.

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WITCHAMPTON                                                        ST 992 071

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Entrance Gateway

The entrance to the park and Crichel House has the date 1874 on the lodge.
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Copyright Ray Blyth 2018