8 Fantastic Follies You Can Call Home (For A Few Nights)
Broadway Tower [Photo: atlasobscura]
It would be folly to rent an apartment for a little getaway when you could rent a folly. But what exactly is a folly?
According to Gwn Headley of follies.org.uk it’s “A building made primarily to be seen. It should look as though it might have been habitable, useful or defensive, so it should at least have the remains of doors windows and a roof.”
Doesn’t exactly sound hospitable but if you want to feel like a giant in a scaled down version of Winterfell or simply need a background for your battle reenactment society, then follies are for you.
1. Pottergate Tower
A grade two listed historic tower converted into a three storey “luxury tower” to accommodate two people. And why not. Pretend you’re a yuppie ghost and enjoy haunting your co-denizen, wearing the bed sheets from the tower top bedroom whilst they’re quaffing wine on the second floor lounge.
[Image: coquetcottages.co.uk]
2. The Temple Folly
The Temple Folly, boasting an oft-coveted “partly-balustered parapet” is another place you can marvel at by day and be scared witless at by night when you realise you’re in the middle of actual nowhere and can’t pop to the shop for a late night packet of monster munch.
[Image: templefolly.co.uk]
3. The Towers at Penrice Castle
“Built as an extravagant Gothic folly in the 1790s to have the appearance of a ruined castle”. Mission accomplished. It’s cosy inside and you can pop over to one of the other little cottages on site and boast about how your new temporary home looks like the lovechild of a scarecrow and a wall.
[Image: penricecastle.co.uk]
4. The House Of Correction
Yes, you too can live (for a short while) in a correctional facility. The House of Correction in Folkingham, Lincolnshire is all that remains of a prison once intended for the idle and disorderly. You and three (in)mates can stay in what was once the entrance. Once inside, you can be as idle as you like.
[Image: landmarktrust.org.uk]
5. Alton Station
Never worry about missing your train again, because they don’t run here anymore. But you could run to Alton Towers, which is just behind this old, disused station.
[Image: landmarktrust.org.uk]
6. The Banqueting House
Feast your eyes on The Banqueting House! An 18th-century Gothic folly built for the sole purpose of looking at and out from. Literally the embodiment of the word ‘folly’. But it does look pretty fancy inside. The perfect setting for a rubbish murder mystery getaway as it’s basically one giant room. Shouldn’t be too hard to find the killer…
[Image: landmarktrust.org.uk]
7. Martello Tower
Built as one of a chain of towers to keep Napoleon out, this fort of sorts sleeps four. Climb to the top of the tower for an expansive view over the sea and keep watch for any rampaging Frenchies trying to spoil your holiday fun.
[Image: landmarktrust.org.uk]
8. The Barbican
Now this is more like it. An actual castle, albeit miniature. Right by the sea in Glenarm, Co Antrim, it even has a drawbridge to keep enemies out. The rooftop is accessible via a spiral stone turret staircase where you can look out over the land when it’s not raining, because lets face it, it probably will be…
[Image: irishlandmark.com]
…just checked the weather forecast. It is.
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