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FABULOUS FOLLIES
...and Landscape Curiosities

Norfolk

BLICKLING                                                              TG 182 285

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Doric Temple

The Doric temple at Blickling Hall was probably designed by Matthew Brettingham senior. A visitor in 1741 wrote, '...upon the highest part fronting the house, is a Doric temple which has a very elegant effect.'






​Date taken: 30/06/2010

BLICKLING                                                              TG 181 284

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Blickling Hall Orangery

Both Samuel Wyatt and Humphry Repton have been suggested as possible designers of the Neo-classical orangery at Blickling Hall. It was built in 1782 and has Coade stone plaques.

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The Orangery after recent restoration. 












​Date taken: 30/06/2010

 BLICKLING                                                             TG 166 294

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Mausoleum

Built as a mausoleum by Caroline the 2nd wife of John Hobart, 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire, the pyramid was designed by Joseph Bonomi in 1797. Its base is 45 feet square and the interior is domed with sarcophagi for the Earl and his two wives.

It is said to be the finest pyramid in England.




Date taken: 30/06/2010

Picture
Other pyramids can be seen at:

Hampshire NETHER WALLOP
Sussex BRIGHTLING
Yorkshire West Riding BRAMPTON BIERLOW
Yorkshire West Riding HUNTWICK WITH FOULBY AND NOSTELL
Yorkshire West Riding SHAROW
Yorkshire West Riding WEST BRETTON  
​Gloucestershire PAINSHILL
​Durham BISHOP AUKLAND

BLICKLING

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Secret Garden summerhouse

The small summerhouse is thought to have been designed by John Adey Repton in an enclosed area known in 1793 as 'Lady Buckinghamshire's Garden'.








​Date taken: 30/06/2010


BLICKLING

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Rustic summerhouse












Date taken: 30/06/2010

BLICKLING                                                               TG 160 288

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The Grandstand

The Gothic Grandstand was built in about 1770 to a design attributed to Thomas and William Ivory of Norwich for the 2nd Earl of Buckingham.

It was converted into a house in the early 19th century.






Date taken: 30/06/2010

BRININGHAM                                                          TG 034 334

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Bellevue Tower

Bellevue Tower was probably built as a belvedere in the 16th century.
It was converted into a mill by Sir Jacob Astley who added an octagonal brick face to the lower portion. A date-stone has his inscription ''I A 1721''.
The mill was then rebuilt as a landscape feature in 1781 by Jacob's son, Sir Edward Astley, 4th Baronet, who was Member of Parliament for Norfolk 1768-1790.
The crenellated top is now rather obscured by a further addition to make it into a dwelling.

Date taken: 29/06/2010

DIDLINGTON                                                          TL 780 970

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Castle Cave

Didlington Hall was an Italianate building which was demolished in the early 1950s.

Castle Cave, also known as Kate's Castle, is a late 19th century sham castle.

FELBRIGG                                                                TG 195 395

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Dovecote

The octagonal dovecote at Felbrigg Park was built in the mid 18th century and has approximately 2000 nest holes.

FELBRIGG                                                                 TG 192 394

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Orangery

The Orangery at Felbrigg Hall looks like a modern building.









Date taken: 29/06/2010

FELBRIGG                                                                   TG 192 394

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Ferme ornee












Date taken: 29/06/10

GREAT YARMOUTH                                             TG 529 055

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Britannia Monument

Britannia Monument is also known as Norfolk Naval Pillar and was built 1817-19. It was the first monument in England to commemorate Admiral Lord Nelson, who had died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

An inscription records that the architect was William Wilkins; John Walker, master mason; Francis Braidwood, the contractor; and Archibald Swinton, Foreman.

The fluted Greek Doric column is surmounted by a figure of Britannia standing on a disk supported by Caryatid figures. The figures were originally Coade stone but replaced with concrete in 1896 and fibreglass during restoration in 1982-4.

HOLKHAM                                                              TF 884 436

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  Leicester Monument

 
The 120 feet high Corinthian column was designed by   W.J.Donthorpe for Thomas William Coke, Earl of   Leicester.

  Coke (1754-1842) was an agricultural pioneer and the   monument is decorated with agricultural implements   and animals.

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Date taken: 12/09/2016

HOLKHAM                                                               TF 881 426

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  The Ice House












   Date taken: 12/09/2016

HOLKHAM                                                              TF 883 419

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  The Obelisk

  William Kent designed the 80 feet high Obelisk at the   highest point of the estate to commemorate the   beginning of building work at Holkham in 1729. 








​  Date taken: 12/09/2016

HOLKHAM

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  Temple












 
Date taken: 12/09/2016

HORNING                                                                TG 380 157

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St Benet's Abbey

St Benet's Abbey is the ruins of a gatehouse of the abbey of the Order of Saint Benedict that was demolished after the Dissolution.

In the 18th century a windmill, later used as a wind pump, was built inside the gatehouse.

A cross made of oak from the Sandringham Estate was placed on the High alter on 2nd August 1987.


HOUGHTON                                                           TF 899 294

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  Waterhouse

  The Palladian style water tower was designed by Henry   Lord Herbert for Sir Robert Walpole and constructed in   1731.

  It was restored in 1982. 






​  Date taken: 11/09/2016

HOUGHTON

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  Houghton Hut

  The concrete cast hut is a contemporary sculpture by        Rachel Whiteread.









​  Date taken: 11/09/2016

HUNSTANTON                               

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The Cross

It is thought that the cross may have been either on the village green at Old Hunstanton or the old village cross from Snettisham and moved in about 1846.


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Date taken: 12/09/2016

HUNSTANTON

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Lookout tower

The coastguard lookout tower was built in 1907 and was a Marconi listening post during both World Wars. It is now a private residence.








​Date taken: 29/06/2010

KINGS LYNN

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  North Guannock Gate

  
The medieval gate is named after the defence bank and was   romanticised in the 1800's to form a picturesque feature. 

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Picture

KING'S LYNN                                                         TF 624 198

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  Red Mount chapel

  The chapel was completed in 1506, at a cost of £14.   11s. 
  In 1783, it was repaired as an observatory for students   of navigation. 







​  Date taken: 13/09/2016

OXBOROUGH                                                         TF 742 012

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Embrasure

The Embrasure at Oxburgh Hall is at The Wilderness and was made for the Beddingfeld family as a 'play' area in the 19th century.


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RUNCTON HOLME                                                   TF 628 076

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St Margaret's Church Tower

In 1605, Sir Francis Gawdy rebuilt Wallington Hall and depopulated the medieval village of Wallington for his park and made the church into a barn.

A spire was added to the tower in the 18th century but was later removed. 

It is said that in the early 21st century, the then tenant built a platform on the top of the tower to use for clay-pigeon shooting. Apparently, one night the south-eastern corner of the tower collapsed so the tenant demolished the rest of the structure. 
​

SANDRINGHAM                                                    TF 693 290

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  The Norwich Gates

  
The entrance gates to Sandringham House were   designed by Thomas Jekyll and made by Barnard,   Boulton and Barnard for the Great Exhibition of 1851.   After the exhibition, in 1863, they were given by the   people of Norfolk and Norwich as a wedding present to   Prince Edward and Princess Alexandra.

​  The gates were moved to the position they are now in   1908. 

SHERINGHAM                                                        TG 139 419

Picture
Repton's Temple

In 1812, Repton designed a circular temple for Abbot Upcher who had bought the estate the previous year. The Abbot had died before the temple was built however it was constructed in 1975 for his descendant, Thomas Upcher.

















​Date taken: 29/06/2010

Picture
Picture

SIDESTRAND

Picture
Garden of Sleep

St Michael and All Angels church at Sidestrand, near Cromer, was made famous by Clement Scott in his poem that begins;

'On the grass of the cliff, at the edge of the steep
God Planted a garden - a garden of sleep............'
As the graveyard fell into the sea the church was dismantled and rebuilt further inland but the church tower was left. It also fell in 1915. 

WALSINGHAM

Picture
  Pump House

  The 16th century Pump House is in the centre of the        village. 

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​Date taken: 12/09/2016

WALSINGHAM                                                         TF 936 368

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  Pack-horse Bridge

  The original date of the bridge is unknown but it may   have been reconstructed in the late 19th century as a   picturesque footbridge.  








  Date taken: 12/09/2016

WALSINGHAM                                                         TF 937 367

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 Abbey House Bridge

 The bridge in the grounds of Abbey House was built in   the late 19th century as a garden feature, using   medieval masonry from St Mary's Priory. 








  Date taken: 12/09/2016

WALSINGHAM                                                      TF 935 367

Picture
  St Mary's Priory East Window

  The 15th century east window of the Priory was used as    an eyecatcher from Abbey House. 

  At Guisborough, North Riding, the priory window was        also used as an eyecatcher. 

















​  Date taken: 12/09/2016

WALSINGHAM                                                      TF 935 367

Picture
  Priory Gatehouse

  The 15th century gatehouse has 19th century   battlements. 









​  Date taken: 12/09/2016

Copyright Ray Blyth 2018