# Brown's Folly - The Tower - Jan 2012



## nelly (Jan 23, 2012)

OK everybody does the mine at Brown's Folly but the poor old Folly itself has been a bit neglected.

Probably because its crap 







Just in case anybody was unsure, this is the dictionary definition of a Folly

_Folly [fol-ee] - noun, plural -lies 
A whimsical or extravagant structure built to serve as a conversation piece, lend interest to a view, commemorate a person or event, etc.: found especially in England in the 18th century. _

Located high on the Somerset hills above Brown's mine and overlooking the beautiful City of Bath

The View





The History Bit

The tower was built by the owner of the local quarry, Wade Brown, in 1848. 

As with any folly, it serves no purpose at all, and in this case was built by Brown to provide work for people during a time of depression. 

It was then renovated in 1907 by Sir Charles Hobhouse who then owned the estate, who apparently used it as a hunting lodge. 

The folly is a Grade II listed building











As with a lot of 170 year old building this one has a ghost story (Pffft!!)

This one concerns the ghost of a girl called Sally..........

_There are several theories of who Sally may be. Speculation upon her death includes the tale of a gypsy girl who was locked in the tower of Brown's Folly during the 18th Century and left to die without food and water.

Walkers in Brown's Folly have reported seeing the strange apparition of a gypsy girl. Screams and disembodied voices have also been heard._





















The view from the top









​


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## krela (Jan 23, 2012)

nelly said:


> As with any folly, it serves no purpose at all, and in this case was built by Brown to provide work for people during a time of depression.



I'm sorry I take exception to this, it was of great purpose to me and my friends as a place to get pissed during our yoof. I must have spent at least 100+ summer evenings here in the very early 90s.

Didn't see any apparitions though...


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## nelly (Jan 23, 2012)

krela said:


> I'm sorry I take exception to this, it was of great purpose to me and my friends as a place to get pissed during our yoof. I must have spent at least 100+ summer evenings here in the very early 90s.
> 
> Didn't see any apparitions though...



So they were your empty Cider cans littering the place then???


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## krela (Jan 23, 2012)

I try not to drink cider out of a can if I can help it...


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## UrbanX (Jan 23, 2012)

krela said:


> I try not to drink cider out of a can if I can help it...



Ah drunk in the Bristol cocktail stylee? From a mans shoe with a slice of apple wedged over the side? 

Cracking report mate, although I'm starting to worry about you visiting all these ghost hunting sites! Looks a cracking structure, cheers for sharing!


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## krela (Jan 23, 2012)

UrbanX said:


> Ah drunk in the Bristol cocktail stylee? From a mans shoe with a slice of apple wedged over the side?
> 
> Cracking report mate, although I'm starting to worry about you visiting all these ghost hunting sites! Looks a cracking structure, cheers for sharing!



Damn right, it tastes better that way. Although I'm from Somerset and we drink it out of wellies there, you don't have to refill them so often.

It's really not a cracking structure, nellys first observation was right.


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## nelly (Jan 23, 2012)

krela said:


> It's really not a cracking structure, nellys first observation was right. It's shit!



Ahhh, I've not been out for a couple of weeks and I'm clucking, really dragging these reports from the bottom of the barrel now 


Lol, you edited your expletive out  are there children viewing?


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## krela (Jan 23, 2012)

nelly said:


> Ahhh, I've not been out for a couple of weeks and I'm clucking, really dragging these reports from the bottom of the barrel now
> 
> 
> Lol, you edited your expletive out  are there children viewing?



Haha, that was unintentional actually, I meant to change it to the word you used, "crap" but forgot to add it back in. It is shit though, but maybe I think that because I grew up in its shadow.


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## nelly (Jan 23, 2012)

krela said:


> It is shit though, but maybe I think that because I grew up in its shadow.



Do you have any photos of your good self with a nice 90's hair do?

Running in and out the folly without a care in the world?

I've got you down as Grunge, maybe a Kurt Cobain mop??? Nothing wrong with that, I'm still partial to a bit of Nirvana and a good dose of Bush in the Taxi


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## krela (Jan 23, 2012)

I'm a raver and free party head, I have been since 1991... 

Musically my tastes are stupidly diverse though.

No photos, I lost all pre-2000 photos to a flood, along with around £25k worth of uninsured vinyl.


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## oldscrote (Jan 24, 2012)

Cheers for this Nelly,I think it's a nice old structure if somewhat full of pigeon shit is that what you mean when you say it's a crap building.

there's a postcard here of the place in better days

http://www.freshford.com/folly.htm


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## nelly (Jan 24, 2012)

Cheers Spike, looking good in that photo mate


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## fluffy5518 (Jan 24, 2012)

nelly said:


> Walkers in Brown's Folly have reported seeing the strange apparition of a gypsy girl. Screams and disembodied voices have also been heard.



.......... That was Newage about two years back attempting to ascend the open staircase !!!!


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## nelly (Jan 24, 2012)

fluffy5518 said:


> .......... That was Newage about two years back attempting to ascend the open staircase !!!!



That staircase is a deathtrap.


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## TeeJF (Jan 24, 2012)

krela said:


> Didn't see any apparitions though...



Sounds like you saw plenty of spirits instead...


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## krela (Jan 24, 2012)

nelly said:


> That staircase is a deathtrap.



They keep talking about removing it. The folly has been gated numerous times so you can't get in but it never lasts long. I'm surprised more people don't seriously injure themselves.


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## oldscrote (Jan 24, 2012)

Here's a couple of old photos that show the folly in relationship to the quarry workings.They are both dated pre 1950 and the main noticeable difference is the lack of dense woodland that now covers pretty well the whole down









plus one of the tower about 1930


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## oldscrote (Jan 26, 2012)

Another one from the archive or what the well dressed Urbexer is wearing around town this year


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## Em_Ux (Jan 27, 2012)

Looks worth it just for the view at the top!

Would of loved to live near that as a youngster...we had to make do with getting drunk in parks!


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