Folly

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Broadway Tower, Worcestershire, England Broadway tower.jpg
Broadway Tower, Worcestershire, England
The Dunmore Pineapple in Scotland (attributed to William Chambers) Dunmore pineapple.jpg
The Dunmore Pineapple in Scotland (attributed to William Chambers)
Built in 1912, the Swallow's Nest is one of the Neo-Gothic chateaux fantastiques in Crimea. "Lastivchine gnizdo", na 40-metrovii skeli Ai-Todors'kogo misu v smt Gaspra, bilia Ialti, Krim, Ukrayina.jpg
Built in 1912, the Swallow's Nest is one of the Neo-Gothic châteaux fantastiques in Crimea.
Modern reconstruction of the Turkish Tent, a permanent structure at Painshill, Surrey Painshill-TurkishTent.jpg
Modern reconstruction of the Turkish Tent, a permanent structure at Painshill, Surrey

In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but suggesting through its appearance some other purpose, or of such extravagant appearance that it transcends the range of usual garden buildings.

Contents

Eighteenth-century English landscape gardening and French landscape gardening often featured mock Roman temples, symbolising classical virtues. Other 18th-century garden follies imitated Chinese temples, Egyptian pyramids, ruined medieval castles or abbeys, or Tatar tents, to represent different continents or historical eras. Sometimes they represented rustic villages, mills and cottages, to symbolise rural virtues. [1] Many follies, particularly during times of famine, such as the Great Famine in Ireland, were built as a form of poor relief, to provide employment for peasants and unemployed artisans.

In English, the term began as "a popular name for any costly structure considered to have shown folly in the builder", the Oxford English Dictionary's definition. [2] Follies are often named after the individual who commissioned or designed the project. The connotations of silliness or madness in this definition is in accord with the general meaning of the French word folie; however, another older meaning of this word is "delight" or "favourite abode". [3] This sense included conventional, practical buildings that were thought unduly large or expensive, such as Beckford's Folly, an extremely expensive early Gothic Revival country house that collapsed under the weight of its tower in 1825, 12 years after completion.

As a general term, "folly" is usually applied to a small building that appears to have no practical purpose or the purpose of which appears less important than its striking and unusual design, but the term is ultimately subjective, so a precise definition is not possible.

Characteristics

Hagley Castle is in the grounds of Hagley Hall. It was built by Sanderson Miller for George, Lord Lyttelton in the middle of the 18th century to look like a small ruined medieval castle. Hagley Castle (geograph 2291664).jpg
Hagley Castle is in the grounds of Hagley Hall. It was built by Sanderson Miller for George, Lord Lyttelton in the middle of the 18th century to look like a small ruined medieval castle.

The concept of the folly is subjective and it has been suggested that the definition of a folly "lies in the eyes of the beholder". [5] Typical characteristics include:

History

The Pantheon at Stourhead estate Stourhead Pantheon.jpg
The Pantheon at Stourhead estate

Follies began as decorative accents on the great estates of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, but they flourished especially in the two centuries which followed. Many estates had ruins of monastic houses and (in Italy) Roman villas; others, lacking such buildings, constructed their own sham versions of these romantic structures.

However, very few follies are completely without a practical purpose. Apart from their decorative aspect, many originally had a use which was lost later, such as hunting towers. Follies are misunderstood structures, according to The Folly Fellowship, a charity that exists to celebrate the history and splendour of these often neglected buildings.[ citation needed ]

Follies in 18th-century French and English gardens

The Temple of Philosophy at Ermenonville in Oise, France Erm11.JPG
The Temple of Philosophy at Ermenonville in Oise, France

Follies (French : fabriques) were an important feature of the English garden and French landscape garden in the 18th century, such as Stowe and Stourhead in England and Ermenonville and the gardens of Versailles in France. They were usually in the form of Roman temples, ruined Gothic abbeys, or Egyptian pyramids. Painshill Park in Surrey contained almost a full set, with a large Gothic tower and various other Gothic buildings, a Roman temple, a hermit's retreat with resident hermit, a Turkish tent, a shell-encrusted water grotto and other features. In France they sometimes took the form of romantic farmhouses, mills and cottages, as in Marie Antoinette's Hameau de la Reine at Versailles. Sometimes they were copied from landscape paintings by painters such as Claude Lorrain and Hubert Robert. Often, they had symbolic importance, illustrating the virtues of ancient Rome, or the virtues of country life. The temple of philosophy at Ermenonville, left unfinished, [7] symbolised that knowledge would never be complete, while the temple of modern virtues at Stowe was deliberately ruined, to show the decay of contemporary morals. [8]

Later in the 18th century, the follies became more exotic, representing other parts of the world, including Chinese pagodas, Japanese bridges, and Tatar tents. [9]

Famine follies

The Great Famine of Ireland of 1845–1849 led to the building of several follies in order to provide relief to the poor without issuing unconditional handouts. However, to hire the needy for work on useful projects would deprive existing workers of their jobs. Thus, construction projects termed "famine follies" came to be built. These included roads in the middle of nowhere, between two seemingly random points, screen and estate walls, piers in the middle of bogs, etc. [10]

Examples

Roman ruin, Schonbrunn, Austria Roman ruin Schoenbrunn Sept 2007 panoramic.jpg
Roman ruin, Schönbrunn, Austria
Small Gloriette of Schonbrunn Palace Small Gloriette - Schonbrunn Palace.jpg
Small Gloriette of Schönbrunn Palace

Follies are found worldwide, but they are particularly abundant in Great Britain. [11]

Australia

Austria

Belgium

Canada

Czech Republic

The minaret in the (Lednice-Valtice Complex, Czech Republic) was built by the House of Liechtenstein during 1797-1804. Minaret in Lednice - se stromy.JPG
The minaret in the (Lednice–Valtice Complex, Czech Republic) was built by the House of Liechtenstein during 1797–1804.

France

Germany

Hungary

India

Ireland

Conolly's Folly, County Kildare, Ireland, built to provide employment in the Irish famine of 1740-41 Conollys Folly - the obelisk.jpg
Conolly's Folly, County Kildare, Ireland, built to provide employment in the Irish famine of 1740–41

Italy

Jamaica

Malta

Lija Belvedere Tower in Malta Malta - Lija - Vjal it-Transfigurazzjoni - Belvedere 01 ies.jpg
Lija Belvedere Tower in Malta

Poland

Temple of the Sibyl in the grounds of the Czartoryski Palace in Pulawy, Poland Pulawy swiatynia sybilli.jpg
Temple of the Sibyl in the grounds of the Czartoryski Palace in Puławy, Poland

Romania

Russia

Spain

El Capricho, in Comillas, Spain El Capricho Gaudi 02.jpg
El Capricho, in Comillas, Spain

Ukraine

Classical ruins in Oleksandriia Park in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine Oleksandriia Park in Bila Tserkva.jpg
Classical ruins in Oleksandriia Park in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine

United Kingdom

Rushton Triangular Lodge, Northamptonshire, England, built in the late 16th century to symbolise the Holy Trinity RushtonTriangularLodge.jpg
Rushton Triangular Lodge, Northamptonshire, England, built in the late 16th century to symbolise the Holy Trinity
Wimpole's Folly, Cambridgeshire, England, built in the 1700s to resemble Gothic-era ruins Wimpole folly.JPG
Wimpole's Folly, Cambridgeshire, England, built in the 1700s to resemble Gothic-era ruins
The Beacon: One of the remaining follies at Staunton Country Park originally commissioned by George Thomas Staunton and designed by Lewis Vulliamy The Beacon Staunton Country Park.JPG
The Beacon: One of the remaining follies at Staunton Country Park originally commissioned by George Thomas Staunton and designed by Lewis Vulliamy

England

Scotland

Wales

Paxton's Tower, Carmarthenshire Paxton's Tower - Carmarthenshire (5369178381).jpg
Paxton's Tower, Carmarthenshire

United States

Chateau Laroche, just north of Loveland, Ohio Loveland Castle (9).jpg
Chateau Laroche, just north of Loveland, Ohio

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanderson Miller</span>

Sanderson Miller was an English pioneer of Gothic revival architecture and landscape designer. He is noted for adding follies or other Picturesque garden buildings and features to the grounds of an estate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prior Park Landscape Garden</span> Grade I listed garden in Bath, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">English landscape garden</span> Style of garden

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pontypool Park</span> School in Pontypool, Torfaen

Pontypool Park is a 150-acre (0.61 km2) park in Pontypool, Torfaen, Wales. The park was formerly the grounds of Pontypool House and was laid out in the closing years of the 17th century for John Hanbury, an ironmaster, who is closely associated with Japanware. The grounds were purchased by the local authority in 1920, while the estate house was leased, and later sold, to the Sisters of the Holy Ghost to become St. Alban's RC High School. The former stables now house the Torfaen Museum. The grounds contain a number of structures including a double ice house, the Folly Tower and the Shell Grotto. The park is entered through the Pontymoile Gates. The gates, the grotto and the stables are all Grade II* listed structures, while the former hall and the ice house are listed Grade II. The park itself is designated at Grade II* on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port Quin</span> Human settlement in England

Port Quin grid reference SW971805 is a small cove and hamlet between Port Isaac and Polzeath in north Cornwall, England.

The Folly Fellowship is a UK charity and company limited by guarantee. It was created in 1988 by Gwyn Headley, Wim Meulenkamp and Andrew Plumridge as an amenity society to protect, preserve and promote awareness of Britain's follies, grottoes and garden buildings. It organises trips throughout the year to follies and holds an annual garden party at a follied garden where the highlight is the cutting of a cake formed in the shape of one of the follies in the garden. Members also receive a range of publications, including three Magazines, each giving information about follies in different depths. Folly Fellowship members include architects, people who live in follies, people who build follies and other interested persons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Booker's Tower</span> 19th-century tower in Guildford, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clytha Castle</span> Folly in Clytha, Monmouthshire

Clytha Castle is a folly near Clytha between Llanarth and Raglan in Monmouthshire, south east Wales. Dating from 1790, the castle was built by William Jones, owner of the Clytha Park estate as a memorial to his wife, Elizabeth, who died in 1787. The castle is an example of the Gothic Revival and comprises three towers, of which two are habitable, and linking, castellated curtain walls. Long attributed to John Nash, recent research has confirmed that the architect was John Davenport of Shrewsbury. The folly has views towards the Sugar Loaf and Skirrid mountains on the easternmost edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Described by the architectural historian John Newman as one of the two "outstanding examples of late eighteenth century fanciful Gothic in the county", Clytha Castle is a Grade I listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Kymin</span> Hill with follies in Wales

The Kymin, is a hill overlooking Monmouth, in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located approximately one mile east of Monmouth, on the eastern side of the River Wye and adjacent to the border with the Forest of Dean and England. The summit of the hill, about 800 feet above sea level, is known for its neo-classical monuments, the Roundhouse and the Naval Temple, built between 1794 and 1800. It is registered on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales. The site is within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and is owned by the National Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French landscape garden</span>

The French landscape garden is a style of garden inspired by idealized romantic landscapes and the paintings of Hubert Robert, Claude Lorrain and Nicolas Poussin, European ideas about Chinese gardens, and the philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The style originated in England as the English landscape garden in the early 18th century, and spread to France where, in the second half of the 18th century and early 19th century, it gradually replaced the rigidly clipped and geometrical French formal garden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sham Castle</span> Historic site in Somerset, England

Sham Castle is a folly on Claverton Down overlooking the city of Bath, Somerset, England. It is a Grade II* listed building. It is a screen wall with a central pointed arch flanked by two 3-storey circular turrets, which extend sideways to a 2-storey square tower at each end of the wall.

Gwyn Headley is a British historian and writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shell grotto</span>

A shell grotto is a type of folly, a grotto decorated with sea shells. The shell grotto was a popular feature of many British country houses in the 17th and 18th centuries. It suited the Baroque and Rococo styles and often represented the mimicry of architectural features from the Italian Renaissance. The idea of a grotto was originally a means to enhance a dank undercroft, or provide an antechamber before a piano nobile, but later it became a garden feature independent of the house, sometimes on the edge of a lake, with water flowing through it.

A folly tower is a tower that has been built as an architectural folly, that is, constructed for ornamental rather than practical reasons. Folly towers are common in Great Britain and Ireland, and often do have some practical value as landmarks, or as viewpoints, unlike other types of folly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Pepperbox</span> Folly in Whiteparish, Wiltshire, UK

The Pepperbox, also known as Eyre's Folly, is a folly tower that stands near the highest point on Pepperbox Hill, the peak of a chalk ridge about 5 miles (8 km) south-east of the city of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. Built in 1606 by Giles Eyre, the folly is a three-storey hexagonal tower constructed of brick, with its entrances and windows blocked up. The building's original purpose is unknown, though theories include that it was built to provide Eyre with views of Longford Castle or to provide local landowners' wives, including Eyre's wife Jane, with a lookout tower to watch the hunt. The tower is considered one of the oldest follies, and is a Grade II listed building. The tower and hillside are owned by the National Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shadwell Court</span> House in Brettenham, Norfolk

Shadwell Court, Brettenham, Norfolk, England is a country house dating originally from the 18th century. Built for the Buxton baronets, the house was massively enlarged in two stages in the 19th century; in 1840-1842 by Edward Blore and then in 1856-1860 by Samuel Sanders Teulon. The house and grounds now form part of the Shadwell Nunnery Stud, owned by Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum until his death in March 2021. Shadwell Court is a Grade I listed building. In 2019 the court was included in the Heritage at Risk Register due to concerns over the deterioration of its fabric.

References

  1. Yves-Marie Allain, Janine Christiany, L'art des jardins en Europe, Citadelles & Mazenod, Paris, 2006.
  2. Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., 1989, vol VI, p4, "Folly, 5".
  3. " ... and many French houses are still named "La Folie"" – OED.
  4. "The Castle About 3/4 Mile East of Hagley Hall" . Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  5. Headley, Gwyn; Meulenkamp, Win (1986). Follies a National Trust Guide. Jonathan Cape. p. xxi. ISBN   0-224-02105-2.
  6. 1 2 3 Jones, Barbara (1974). Follies & Grottoes. Constable & Co. p. 1. ISBN   0-09-459350-7.
  7. Césari, Dominique. "Ermenonville". Parcs à fabriques. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  8. "The Royal Oak Foundation looks to Stowe's 1730s Temple of Modern Virtue as its latest beneficiary". 17 October 2018.
  9. Yves-Marie Allain and Janine Christiany, L'art des jardins en Europe, Citadelles & Mazenod, Paris, 2006.
  10. Howley, James. 1993. The Follies and Garden Buildings of Ireland. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN   0-300-05577-3
  11. Menzies, Dean. "Folly". Hansagarten24. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  12. "Heemkring hakt voor eens en voor altijd knoop door over 'toren van middeleeuwse stadsomwalling': "Ziet er authentiek uit maar het is absoluut fake"". Het Nieuwsblad Mobile (in Flemish). 25 August 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  13. "Paradise Lost | Casino Marino".
  14. http://images.library.wisc.edu/DLDecArts/EFacs/HomeDesign/hdv09n01/reference/dldecarts.hdv09n01.i0022.pdf See photos: "A Seat Shaded from the Tropic Sun" (and water tank), "A Summer House on the Hill" (with no walls), "The Bridge and Pavilion".
  15. Follies Magazine #108, "My Folly Folly Folly: a Jamaican Journey"
  16. "Sham Castle". Bath in Time. 8 February 2007. Archived from the original on 24 May 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2012.

Bibliography