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FABULOUS FOLLIES
...and Landscape Curiosities

Wiltshire

AMESBURY                                                             SU 147 417

Picture
Diana's House

Diana's House is by the side of Queensbury Bridge and was constructed before 1746. 



AVEBURY                                                               SU 090 700

Picture
Avebury Manor Dovecote

The mid 16th century dovecote at Avebury Manor has 15 tiers of nest boxes.

BRADFORD-ON-AVON                  ST  826 608

Picture
Blind House

A lock-up was built on the foundation of a chapel on the 13th century bridge at Bradford-on-Avon. Above the weathervane is a fish and when someone was in prison it was aid that they were 'Being over the water and under the fish'.

Other village lock-ups may be seen at:

Oxfordshire WHEATLEY Round House
Somerset CASTLE CARY The Round House
Wiltshire SHREWTON Blind House
Yorkshire East Riding HUNMANBY Lock-up
Yorkshire West Riding NORTH STAINLEY WITH SLENINGFORD Cell
Wales RUABON Round House


Picture

BREMHILL                                                              ST 973 738

Picture
Maud Heath's Monument

On the top of a tall column is a crudely carved seated statue of Maud Heath in medieval dress with a basket by her side. On the square base an inscription reads:

'Erected at the joint expense by Henry Marquis of Lansdowne Lord of the Manor and Wm. L. Bowles Vicar of the parish of Bremhill. Trustees 1838'

A verse by Bowles is also inscribed:

'Thou who dost pause on this aerial height
Where Maud Heath's pathway winds in shade of light
Christian wayfarer in a world of strife
Be still and ponder on the path of life'

BROMHAM                                                               ST 941 679

Picture
Spye Arch Gatehouse

The gate lodge to Spye Park was the 16th century gatehouse to Bromham House. 

It was moved and slightly remodelled in the late 18th century.






Date taken: 15/10/2008

BROMHAM                                                               ST 949 670

Picture
Spye Park Lodges












Date taken: 15/10/2008

BURBAGE                                                                SU 229 648

Picture
Ailesbury Column

The 100 feet high Ionic column was originally erected at Brandenburg House, Hammersmith, in about 1760 by George Bobb Doddington in memory of his wife.

In 1789, it was re-erected on a grand avenue from Tottenham House in Severnake Forest for Thomas Bruce to thank his uncle Charles for handing down the title Earl of Ailesbury.


CALNE WITHOUT                                                 ST 956 704

Picture
Golden Gate

The main entrance to the park at Bowood is the Italianate lodge known as Golden Gate. It was designed by Sir Charles Barry for the Marquess of Lansdowne and was built between 1834 and 1838.



CALNE WITHOUT                                                  ST 979 702

Picture
Doric Temple

The Doric Temple at Bowood was originally built in the pleasure gardens in about 1800 and moved in 1864 to the lakeside near the Cascade.


CASTLE COMBE                              

Picture
King Alfred's Tower

King Alfred's Tower was built in the early 19th century for William Scrope to commemorate King Alfred's defeat of the Danes at the Battle of Ethendun in 878. The tower was erected near to the village of Ford to the east of Danks Down Wood but was demolished before the Second World War. Scrope also had a square tower built near to where the racing circuit now is but this one was also demolished, in 1962, because it was said to have been unsafe.

William Scrope (1772-1852) inherited his father's estate at Castle Combe in 1787 and was an amateur landscape artist and friend of Sir Walter Scott.


Picture

CORSHAM                                                             ST 873 708

Picture
The Bath House

The Bath House at Corsham Court was designed by Lancelot Brown in about 1761-63. It was altered by John Nash in 1797 and 1802.


















​Date taken: 11/08/2007

CORSHAM                                                              ST 873 708

Picture
The Bradford Porch

The late medieval porch is from The Priory at Bradford-on-Avon that was demolished in 1936. It was reconstructed to form an entrance to the Banqueting House at Corsham Court in about 1970.

















Date taken:11/08/2007

CORSHAM

Picture
Wellhead

This little building at Corsham Court appears to be a wellhead.









​Date taken: 11/08/2007

CORSHAM                                                              ST 872 703

Picture
Gazebo

This charming early 18th century pavilion is in the corner of a garden in Corsham village.



















Date taken: 11/08/2007

CORSHAM                                                               ST 874 706

Picture
Dairy

John Nash designed the alterations to the north side of Corsham Court in 1805 but due to bad construction much of the North Front was demolished in 1846. The Gothick dairy was retained.






Date taken: 11/08/2007

CORSHAM                                                               ST 873 705

Picture
The Sham Ruin

The Sham Ruin at Corsham Court is a 100 feet long 60 feet high sham castle to screen the stables from the road. Itwas built for Lord Methuen in about 1797. The stone was from Chippenham Abbey.







​Date taken: 11/08/2007

DEVIZES                                                                  SU 004 614

Picture
Market Cross

The Market Cross at Devizes was designed by James Wyatt and erected in 1814 on the site of an earlier cross. There is an inscription with the story of Ruth Pierce of Potterne who, in 1753, wished she might drop dead if she had not paid her share of a sack of corn. Having said so three times, 'She instantly fell and expired having the money concealed in her hand.'

DONHEAD ST ANDREW                                      ST 938 262

Picture
The Banqueting House

The Gothic style Banqueting House at Old Wardour Castle was built in about 1773-4 and either designed by Lancelot Brown or James Paine.

Picture













​Date taken: 04/07/2012

DONHEAD ST ANDREW                                      ST 939 263

Picture
The Grotto

The Grotto at Old Wardour Castle was built by Josiah Lane of Tisbury about 1792. His commission was to build a cave with dripping water, fossils and ferns, and to construct it with brick, plaster and stones from the old castle.






Date taken: 04/07/2012

DONHEAD ST ANDREW                                    ST 939 263

Picture
Rock Arch

The Rock Arch at Old Wardour is rather like the one at Stourhead. It was either designed by Richard Woods when he worked for the 8th Earl of Arundell between 1764 1nd 1771, or by Josiah Lane in the 1790s.






Date taken: 04/07/2012

Picture













​Date taken: 23.05.2017

DONHEAD ST ANDREW                                     ST 939 263

Picture
Stone Circle

A 4000 year old stone circle from Tisbury was re-erected at Old Wardour Castle.









​Date taken: 04/07/2012

DONHEAD ST ANDREW                                      ST 939 263

Picture
Rustic Alcoves












Date taken: 04/07/2012

FONTHILL BISHOP                                               ST 933 527

Picture
Archway and Lodges

The archway and lodges to Fonthill Park were built in about 1756 for Alderman William Beckford. 









​

Picture
Picture

HORNINGSHAM                                                    ST 812 419

Picture
Longleat Lodge

Longleat Lodge is an impressive triumphal arch designed in about 1804 by Jeffry Wyatville for the 2nd Marquess of Bath.

A single storey extension was added in 1947.


Picture













Date taken: 07/06/2016

HORNINGSHAM                                                     ST 808 431

Picture
Longleat Park Orangery

The Orangery at Longleat was designed by Jeffry Wyatville in about 1807 for the 2nd Marquess of Bath.

Jeffry Wyatville also designed;
The Orangery at Belton House, Belton, Lincolnshire.
The Camellia House at Bretton Park, West Bretton.
The Camellia House at Woburn, Bedfordshire.  




Date taken: 07/06/2016

HORNINGSHAM                                                   ST  807 430

Picture
  Longleat Boathouse












  Date taken: 07/06/2016

LACOCK                                                                   ST 919 684

Picture
Gothick Arch

Sanderson Miller was the designer of the great hall at Lacock Abbey for John Ivory Talbot.

​ In 1754, he also designed the ornate Gothick carriage arch, that would have had gates.





Date taken: 15/10/2008
 

Picture













Date taken: 15/10/2008

LACOCK                                                                   ST 919 684

Picture
Twin Columns

The 16th century twin coupled Roman Doric columns were installed as chimneys when the abbey was converted into a country house.

The chimney stack was re-erected in the mid 18th century when John Ivory Talbot had the gardens redesigned. 

They are topped with a sphinx with the body of a lion.












​Date taken: 15/10/2008

MALMESBURY                                                      ST 933 872

Picture
Market Cross

The Market Cross at Malmesbury was described by Leland in about 1544 as 'A right faire peace of work for poor folks to stande dry when rayne cometh'.

The Earl of Suffolk had it renovated in about 1800 and it was repaired in 1909-12 and 1949-50.





​Date taken: 02/10/2010


MALMESBURY                                                      ST 934 872

Picture
Tower

The tower was built as an observatory in 1834 for Dr Player, the Town's physician, who was a keen astronomer.


















Date taken: 02/10/2010

MARSHFIELD                                                             ST 796 700

Picture
Three Shire Stones

A sham cromleck, on the top of Bannerdown Hill on the Fosse Way, marks where the historic counties of Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Somerset met. It was erected in 1859 at a cost of £34 5s 6d. Incorporated inside the limestone slabs is an earlier boundary marker of three stones which were placed there in 1736, each one inscribed with the date and the initial of one of the three counties. The inner stones may be a chambered tomb from another location.   

See also the Four Shires Stone at Little Compton, Gloucestershire. 

MONKTON FARLEIGH                                        ST 794 660

Picture
  Brown's Folly

  In 1848 Colonel Wade Brown, who lived at the Manor House at Monkton Farleigh, had an eyecatcher built overlooking Bath and the Avon Valley. Above the door is a datestone inscribed:

W 1848 B
       E
 C 1903 H

Sir Charles Hobhouse made the tower into a hunting box after buying the estate.

NETHERAVON                                                       SU 146 484

Picture
Netheravon Dovecote

The dovecote at Netheravon is early 18th century.

It was restored in about 1980.







Date taken: 14/10/2008

SALISBURY                                                               SU 143 299

Picture
The Poultry Cross

The 14th century market cross at Salisbury is the only one remaining of various crosses in the town marking the place for different trades and goods.

The flying buttresses were added in 1852 to make it resemble the Chichester market cross.


Picture













​Date taken: 26/09/2015

SHREWTON                                                            SU 068 438

Picture
Blind House

The lock-up at Shrewton was known as Blind House and dates from about 1700.

It is not in its original position but was moved after 1945.


Picture
The Blind House on the present site.

For other village lock-ups see:
Somerset CASTLE CARY The Round House
Wiltshire BRADFORD-ON-AVON Blind House
Wales RUABON Round House
Yorkshire East Riding HUNMANBY Lock-Up
Yorkshire West Riding NORTH STAINLEY WITH SLENINGFORD Cell




STOURTON WITH GASPER

Picture
Stourhead Gatehouse

Picture
Picture

STOURTON WITH GASPER                               ST 775 339

Picture
Bristol High Cross

The Bristol High Cross was originally at a street crossing in medieval Bristol and was moved to College Green, Bristol, in 1736 before being erected at Stourhead by Henry Hoare in 1765.

A replica of the top secttion of the cross is at;
​BRISTOL, Gloucestershire with Bristol.

Picture
























​Date taken: 05/10/2010

STOURTON WITH GASPER 

Picture

STOURTON WITH GASPER 

Picture













​Date taken: 04/08/2010

STOURTON WITH GASPER                               ST 771 340

Picture
The River God's Cave

The construction of the River God's Cave at Stourhead was by Mason William Privet in about 1748 for Henry Hoare. The entrance was added in 1776. The painted lead statue of the River God by John Cheere was paid for in 1751. The replica of Ariadne was made in 1967.

The statue of the River God is almost identical to the figure of Tiber in an engraving by Salvator Rosa, which suggests that it is pointing in the direction of the path to the Pantheon. Henry Hoare was probably recreating the scene from Virgil's Aeneid where Aeneas meets the nymphs and the River God (father Tiber) and is shown the way to the Pantheon and the alter of Hercules.








Date taken: 05/10/2010

Picture
  The Sleeping Nymph

  The quotation reads:
 
  Nymph of the grot these sacred springs I keep
  And to the murmur of these water-sleep
  Ah spare my slumbers gently tread the cave
  And drink in silence or in silence, lave
                                                        A Pope.


  lave means to bathe.















​

STOURTON WITH GASPER                                ST 778 341

Picture
Granary

The granary at Stourhead is similar to the one at Norton Ferris Manor Farm.

Other granaries are at:

ARLINGTON, Devon. Arlington Court Granary
MIDHURST, Kent. Cowdray Castle granary
MIDDLE ASTON, Oxfordshire. Middle Aston House

See also ROTHERHAM, West Riding. Roman Granary 









Date taken: 07/06/2016

STOURTON WITH GASPER

Picture
The Grotto, Stourhead












​Date taken: 05/10/2010

Picture
Picture













​Date taken: 05/10/2010

STOURTON WITH GASPER                                ST 772 338

Picture
Rockwork Bridge

A rustic bridge was constructed in 1762-65 to carry the track from the lake to the Temple of Apollo. The Hermitage, built in 1771, was part of the approach but it was demolished in 1814.







Date taken: 05/10/2010

STOURTON WITH GASPER                               ST 777 342

Picture
Stourhead Icehouse

The icehouse near to Stourhead House was probably built in the early 19th century.

It was restored by the National Trust in the 1980s.







​Date taken: 05/10/2010

STOURTON WITH GASPER                               ST 773 345

Picture
Obelisk

The obelisk at Stourhead was erected in 1746 for Henry Hoare as a focal point of the terrace walk. It was designed by William Privet using Chilmark stone that degraded and the obelisk became unsafe. 

It was replaced in 1839-40 using limestone and is about 105 feet high surmounted with a copper sun disk. It is the same dimensions as the obelisk in Porta del Popula in Rome. It was struck by lightning in 1853.












Date taken: 07/06/2016

STOURTON WITH GASPER                                 ST 770 339

Picture
 The Pantheon, Stourhead

 The Pantheon was originally called the Temple of Hercules and was designed by Henry Flitcroft for Henry Hoare in 1753-54.   








​Date taken: 05/10/2010


Picture
  Inside the Pantheon the niches contain lead statues of   Bacchus and Venus Callygos, probably made by John   Cheere.

STOURTON WITH GASPER                                 ST 772 338

Picture
  Rockwork Bridge
 
  The rustic bridge was built between 1762 and 1765 to   carry the track from the lake over the road to the   Temple of Apollo.

Picture













​Date taken:05/10/2010
Picture













​Date taken: 05/10/2010

STOURTON WITH GASPER                                ST 778 341

Picture
Stourhead Stables












Date taken: 05/10/2010

STOURTON WITH GASPER                               ST 773 338

Picture
The Temple of Apollo, Stourhead

The Temple of Apollo was built in 1765 and designed by Henry Flitcroft. It is similar to Sir William Chambers' Temple of the Sun that he designed for Kew in 1761 and an illustration in Robert Wood's Ruins of Balbec.






Date taken: 05/10/2010

STOURTON WITH GASPER                             ST 774 340

Picture
The Temple of Flora, Stourhead

Henry Flitcroft designed The Temple of Flora for Henry Hoare in 1744 and it was originally called the Temple of Ceres. It was built by William Privet using Chilmark stone. It has four Tuscan Doric columns.






Date taken: 05/10/2010

STOURTON WITH GASPER                              ST 771 340

Picture
The Gothic Cottage, Stourhead

Colt Hoare had a Gothic porch and seat built on to an existing building in 1806. About 90 years later it was converted into a summerhouse.

In 1907 it was re-roofed with stone tiles from an old cottage but has recently been thatched, as it was in a painting by F. Nicholson in about 1813.



Date taken: 05/10/2010

STOURTON WITH GASPER                              ST 770 346

Picture
  Terrace Lodge

 
Terrace Lodge was built for Richard Colt Hoare in 1785   probably by William Reveley.








  Date taken: 07/06/2016

STOURTON WITH GASPER                               ST 756 346

Picture
  The Convent in the Woods

  Henry Hoare II had a fantasy cottage built in about   1765, probably for family picnics and to entertain   shooting parties. The ceiling was made with pebbles   from Chesil Beach.

  By the 1980s, it had been vandalised and was restored   in the late 1980s by architect, Christopher Bowerbank.   It was for sale in 2015 for £850,000.

TOLLARD ROYAL                                                  ST 940 180

Picture
Larmer Tree Temple

The Temple is one of the buildings erected for Lieutenant-General Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt-Rivers at The Lamer Tree grounds he created in 1880.








​Date taken: 17/08/2014


TOLLARD ROYAL                                                   ST 940 180

Picture
The Singing Theatre

The Larmer Tree










Date taken: 17/08/2014

TOLLARD ROYAL                                                   ST 940 180

Picture
The General's Room

The Larmer Tree











Date taken: 17/08/2014

TOLLARD ROYAL                                                  ST 940 180

Picture
Band View

The Larmer Tree










​Date taken: 17/08/2014


TOLLARD ROYAL                                                  ST 940 180

Picture
Stag's Arbour

The Larmer Tree










Date taken: 17/08/2014

TOLLARD ROYAL

Picture
The Grotto

The Larmer Tree










Date taken: 17/08/2014


TOLLARD ROYAL                                                 ST 940 180

Picture
Pyramid

The Larmer Tree










​Date taken: 17/08/2014


TOLLARD ROYAL

Picture
The Folly

The Folly, near to The Larmer Tree, was built for Indian born Mr Gronow-Davis and funded by O2 to incorporate five phone masts. Mr Gronow-Davis, a descendent of General Augustus Pitt Rivers, went ahead with the 65 feet high folly when the phone company pulled out of the scheme. It is made of rendered concrete.





​Date taken: 17/08/2014


WESTWOOD                                                           ST 801 588

Picture
The Cloisters

Harold Peto designed The Cloisters at his home at Iford Manor to house his collection of Italian and Byzantine sculptures.

WESTWOOD                                                           ST 800 589

Picture
The Casita

Harold Peto designed his garden loggia at Iford Manor in about 1910. He used early 13th century pink marble columns from Verona and Byzantine roundels on the walls.


WHITEPARISH                                                     SU 212 248

Picture
Eyre's Folly

The hexagonal tower known as The Pepperbox was erected for Giles Eyre of Brickworth House in 1606, probably as a hunting stand.

The hill on which it stands is now known as Pepperbox Hill. The roof was rebuilt in about 1900.


Picture
Picture













​Date taken: 20/05/2017

WILTON

Picture
Boathouse 











Date taken: 04/07/2012

WILTON

Picture
Casino 











Date taken: 04/07/2012

WILTON                                                                   SU 103 308

Picture
The Egyptian Column

The 32 feet high Egyptian Column at Wilton house was originally from the Temple of Venus Genetrix in Rome and was bought by Evelyn in about 1650 for the Arundel collection. The 5th Earl bought it for the centrepiece of the forecourt and it was moved in the 1790s to its present position and surmounted by a 17th century bronze statue of Venus.



Date taken: 04/07/2012

WILTON                                                                   SU 099 309

Picture
Palladian Bridge

The Palladian Bridge at Wilton House was built in 1737 by the 9th Earl and his Clerk of Works, Roger Morris.

It is inspired by Andrea Palladio's rejected design for the Rialto Bridge in Venice. 

Other Palladian bridges are at 
STOWE Buckinghamshire
​BATH Somerset 
See also SCAMPSTON East Riding

​Date taken: 04/07/2012

WILTON                                                                   SU 098 310

Picture
Loggia

The Loggia at Wilton Park is possibly by Wyattville and Sir Richard Westmacott and was built in about 1826.









​Date taken: 04/07/2012


WILTON

Picture
Triumphal Arch

Sir William Chambers replaced an old wooden arch on which a statue of Marcus Aurelius stood with a Triumphal Arch for the 10th Earl in the 1750s.

James Wyatt moved the Triumphal Arch from the hill south of the river
to the North Forecourt to make a new entrance to Wilton House.



Date taken: 04/07/2012

WILTON                                                                  SU 099 309

Picture
Whispering Seat

The Whispering Seat in Wilton House garden is so called for obvious reasons, if someone whispers at one end of the seat another can hear at the other end.








​Date taken: 04/07/2012

Copyright Ray Blyth 2018