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FABULOUS FOLLIES
...and Landscape Curiosities

Somerset

BARWICK                                                                  ST 563 142

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Jack the Treacle Eater

Jack the Treacle Eater is one of four follies marking the cardinal points of the Barwick Park estate. It could date back to about 1775, after John Newman had built the house in 1770. Or possibly erected for George Messiter, who inherited the estate from his Uncle John in 1830.

'Jack' is said to have been a runner who carried messages to London and trained on treacle.

In the early 1990s, the four follies at Barwick Park were bought by South Somerset District Council for a nominal £5.

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BARWICK                                                                ST 560 148

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The Fish Tower

The Fish Tower is the north boundary marker to the Barwick Park estate and was probably erected for John Newman in about 1775. It is about 50 feet high and was originally surmounted by a weather vane in an iron cage.


BARWICK                                                                ST 556 142

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  Messiter's Cone

  Also known as The Rose Tower, Messiter's Cone is the   west boundarymarker of Barwick Park and was probably   erected for John Newman in about 1775. It is about 66   feet high and has three arched doorways from which the   landscape can be viewed.

BARWICK                                                                ST 559 129

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  Needle Obelisk

  The Needle Obelisk is the south boundary marker of   Barwick Park and is about 40 feet high. It was probably   erected for John Newman in about 1775.

BATH                                                                         ST 737 675

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Beckford's Tower

Beckford's Tower was designed by the architect, H.E.Goodridge and built in 1825-27, for William Beckford, the wealthy eccentric of Fonthill Abbey fame, to house his collection of fine arts. The Graeco-Roman tower is 130 feet tall and a there is a spiral staircase of 208 steps.

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​Date taken: 06/06/2016

BATH                                                                         ST 742 652

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Victoria Column

In 1830, the eleven year old Princess Victoria opened the park at Bath that was named after her. A triangular obelisk, designed by George Philips Manners, was erected there in 1837 to commemorate the first year of her reign.

BATH                                                                         ST 739 655

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  Temple of Minerva

  The pavilion, designed by local architect Alfred J. Taylor,   was built for the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in   1924-5 to advertise the City of Bath.

  In 1926, it was reconstructed in the Botanical Gardens   at Victoria Park.


BATH

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​Popes Grotto












Date taken: 06/06/2016

BATH

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​Sham Bridge












Date taken: 06/06/2016

BATH                                                                         ST 760 633

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  The Palladian Bridge

 
The Palladian Bridge at Prior Park was probably   constructed under the direction of Richard Jones. It   is based on the one at Wilton that was built in 1736-37.

  Other Palladian bridges are at 
  STOWE Buckinghamshie 
​  WILTON Wiltshire 
​  See also SCAMPSTON East Riding

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BATH

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  Prior Park Summerhouse












  Date taken: 06/06/2016

BATH                                                  ST 763 630

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  Prior Park Icehouse

 
The icehouse in Prior Park was probably built between   1755 -1760.









​  Date taken: 06/06/2016

BATHAMPTON                                ST 766 648

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Ralph Allen's Sham Castle

The Sham Castle was built as an eyecatcher in 1762 'to improve the prospect' from Ralph Allen's house in Bath.

It had been designed in about 1755 by Sanderson Miller and was constructed by Richard James, Ralph Allen's master mason.

It was restored in 1921 and presented to the city of Bath.

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BREWHAM                                                             ST 745 351

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Alfred's Tower

The 160 feet high Alfred's Tower was built for Henry Hoare on his Stourhead estate in 1772.

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BROOMFIELD                                                        ST 224 329

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Fyne Court sham castle

It is thought that the castle at Fyne Court was built for the children of Andrew Crosse to play in, though it is more likely a summerhouse for all the family.

Andrew Crosse (1784-1855) was an electrical pioneer.

BURROWBRIDGE                                                     ST 359 305

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Burrow Mump

St Micheal'e Church was destroyed when Royalist troops held it as a fortress. Rebuilding started in 1724 and 1793 but never completed. It was finished in such a way that it may have been intended as an eyecacher. 

It was given to the National Trust in 1946 by Major A G Barrett as a World War II memorial.

Date taken: 11/12/2013

CASTLE CARY                                                        ST 640 323

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  The Round House

  The Round House was built in 1779 by W. M. Clark as a   temporary lock-up at a cost of £23, using money left to   the poor of Castle Cary in 1605.

  It was restored in 1894 and 1983.

  More village lock-ups can be found at:

   Oxfordshire WHEATON Round House
   Wiltshire BRADFORD-ON-AVON Blind House
   Wiltshire SHREWTON Blind House
   Yorkshire East Riding HUNMANBY Lock-up
   Yorkshire West Riding NORTH STAINLEY WITH                   SLENINGFORD Cell
   Wales RUABON Round House

 CHARD                                                                    ST 312 087

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  Snowdon Turnpike Cottage

  The tollhouse was built in 1838-9 by the Chard Turnpike   Trust to collect fees for using the loop road up the hill   that avoided the steep gradient.

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CHEDDON FITZPAINE                                      ST 242 286

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Hestercombe Orangery

The Orangery at Hestercombe was designed by Edwin Lutyens in the Classical style for the Honourable E W Portman in 1904-9.








​Date taken: 10/08/2014


CLEVEDON                                                            ST 415 728

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  ​Walton Castle

COMPTON DUNDON                                           ST 495 338

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Admiral Hood Monument

The inscription reads;

    This monument is dedicated
    to the late Commander
    by the attachment and reverence
    of British officers
    of whom many were his admiring followers
    in these awful scenes of war
    in which while they call forth
    the grandest Qualities of human nature
    i
n his likewise grave occasion
    for the exercise of its amiable virtues
    He died at Madras, December 24th 1814

There is no mention of Admiral Sir Samuel Hood falsifying his ship's log. He testified against Admiral Keppel when Keppel was court-martialled after the Battle of Ushant.

The Doric column was erected in 1831.

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COTHELSTONE                                                      ST 189 326

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Cothelstone Tower

Cothelstone Tower was also known as The Beacon Tower and was built on the highest point of the Quantock Hills for the Cothelstone Manor Estate. The 30 feet high belvedere was also an eyecatcher and was
probably erected between 1755, when the estate was inherited by Mary, Baroness Stawell, and 1764, when she married her second husband Wills Hill, the 1st Earl of Hillsborough.

The Tower was destroyed in 1910.

CURRY RIVEL                                                         ST 991 441

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Burton Pynsent Steeple

The Burton Pynsent Steeple is a 140 feet high Tuscan Column designed by Lancelot Brown and built in 1765 at the cost of £2,000 by local builder, Philip Pear.

It was commissioned by Sir William Pitt as a memorial to Sir William Pynsent who had left his estate to Pitt.

CUTCOMBE                                                           SE 891 415

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  Dunkery Beacon

DUNSTER

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The Yarn Market

The Yarn Market at Dunster was built in 1609 and restored in 1647. On the top of the wooden lantern there is a weather vane with the date 1647 and the initials 'GL'.

It was the inspiration for the design of The Rest House at Bournville.


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Date taken: 04/04/2009

DUNSTER                                                               SS 991 441

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Conygar Tower

Richard Phelps designed Conyger Tower as an eyecatcher for Henry Fownes Luttrell. It cost £75 11s 6d and the builders got £4 2s 6d for scrumpy and £2 5s for entertainment when it was completed in 1775.







The message on this postcard sent in 1910 reads:

  This is a view of an old Tower, 2 miles from here - very old - where the Normans used to watch the wicked Saxons stealing winkles off the sea shore - It was also a pre historic aeroplane letter Box.

And I thought my descriptions rather fanciful! 


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DUNSTER                                                               SS 990 437

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Dovecote

The dovecote at Priory Green, Dunster, was extensively repaired in 1989. It is about 19 feet high and 19 feet in diameter, and the walls are 4 feet thick. It was probably built in the late 16th century.

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DUNSTER

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Dunster Castle Gatehouse

The Gatehouse was built in 1420 for Sir Hugh Luttrell. Heraldic panels were added over the entrance in the 16th century. In 1764 the ground was raised and the first two storeys were buried and two battlemented turrets were added to the west side.






​Date taken: 04/04/2009


DUNSTER                                                                 SS 991 438

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Dunster Castle Summerhouse

The octagonal summerhouse at Dunster Castle was built in about 1727 when the keep was demolished to make a bowling green. The wooden mullion window is 15th century.


















​Date taken: 04/04/2009


GLASTONBURY                                                   ST 499 387

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  Abbot's Kitchen

 The Abbot's Kitchen at Glastonbury was the inspiration   for the Dairy at St Michael's Mount, Cornwall.

  See; 'Dairy' ST MICHAEL'S MOUNT Cornwall.

GLASTONBURY                                                     ST 512 386

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  St Michael's Tower

  The tower of the medieval church was restored in 1804.   Originally it had an upper storey.

LYNG                                                                        ST 346 292

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  King Alfred's Monument

  In 1801, John Slade, lord of the manor of North   Petherton, had a monument erected at Athelney to   commemorate King Alfred's occupation in 878. A   monastery was established at Athelney in 893.
 
  The monument was repaired in 1985.



MONTACUTE                                                        ST 499 171

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  Pavilions

  The Pavilions at Montacute were built 1590-1600 by   William Arnold for Sir Edward Phelips as part of the   original entrance forecourt.







  Date taken: 16/08/2014

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MONTACUTE                                                       ST 499 170

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  Arcaded Garden House

  The summerhouse at Montacute is dated 1588 but the   façade may have been used by Lord Curzon. It has the   arms of the Strode family and may have come from their   home at Barrington Court.







  Date taken: 16/08/2014

MONTACUTE                                                        ST 499 172

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  Orangery

  The Orangery at Montacute was built in 1848, possibly   by Lewis Vulliamy.

  It was restored in 1985.







​  Date taken: 16/08/2014

MONTACUTE                                                       ST 499 172

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  Icehouse











  Date taken: 16/08/2014

MONTACUTE                                                         ST 500 170

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  The Phelips Observatory

  Robert of Mortain built a castle on St Michael's Hill soon   after 1066 that was demolished and replaced with a   chapel dedicated to St Michael and was first recorded in   1102.

  In 1760, the Phelips family erected a 40 feet high   observatory with a Greek inscription over the door that   means 'Look Out'.

  It was used as a signal tower to Swayne.

NETHER STOWEY                                                ST 195 396

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Gazebo

An early 18th century gazebo is at the entrance to Stowey Court.








Date taken: 04/04/2009

NETHER STOWEY                                              ST 192 396

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  Toll House






















  Date taken: 04/04/2009

WELLINGTON WITHOUT                                 ST 137 172

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Wellington Monument

The originally designed in 1817, by Thomas Lea Junior, was for a column surmounted with a cast iron statue of the Duke with English, Irish and Scottish soldiers on the plinth. The plan was scrapped because it was too expensive. The obelisk, that commemorates Wellington's victory over Napoleon at Waterloo, was completed in 1852 and designed by H E Goodridge. The 175 feet high triangular obelisk has a spiral staircase of 365 steps.


WEST MONKTON                                                  ST 241 289

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The Octagon

The Octagon at Hestercombe has recently been built.





















​Date taken: 10/08/2014


WEST MONKTON                                                  ST 242 288

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Chinese Seat

Hestercombe










​Date taken: 10/08/2014


WEST MONKTON                                                 ST 243 289

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Rustic Seat

Hestercombe










​Date taken: 10/08/2014


WEST MONKTON                                                 ST 243 289

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Temple Arbour

The Tuscan Doric style Temple Arbour at Hestercombe was built for Coplestone Warre Bampfylde in about 1775. Coplestone was an advisor and friend of Henry Hoare.

It was extensively restored in 1996.





​Date taken: 10/08/2014


WEST MONKTON                                                 ST 243 289

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Mausoleum

The Mausoleum was built in about 1755 and its name is thought to refer to its pyramidal shape rather than it being used as a mausoleum.









WEST MONKTON

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Gothic Alcove

Hestercombe

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Resent restoration to the Gothic Alcove at Hestercombe have altered the roofline.





















​Date taken: 10/08/2014


WRAXALL AND FAILAND                                 ST 505 715

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Tyntesfield Aviary

The Aviary at Tyntesfield was built in 1889 for exotic birds. It was later converted into a playhouse for Doreen, the daughter of Lord Wraxall.







Date taken: 03/07/2012

WRAXALL AND FAILAND                                 ST 506 714

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Gothic Seat

Near to Tyntesfield Hall is a Gothic Seat that was made in about 1865, possibly by John Norton.








Date taken: 03/07/2012

WRAXALL AND FAILAND           

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Summerhouse

The restored octagonal summerhouse in woodland at the back of Tyntesfield Hall dates from the late 19th century.








Date taken: 03/07/2012

Copyright Ray Blyth 2018