# Charborough Tower - A Dorset Folly



## filmknight (May 31, 2011)

Once again this was something I found from my travels at work. Driving along the A31 between Sturminster Marshall and Bere Regis in Dorset I had noticed a tower poking up above some trees. After an internet search I found out about the tower and the house it belonged to. I was very pleased that even though the house is private, on occasion the owner opens up it's gardens to generate money for local charities. I find follies fascinating and was particularly drawn to this one. One of the reasons being the comical gargoyles decorating the tower.

Charborough house dates back to 1086 when it was a royal manor to King Harold.
The house was destroyed by royalist troops in the 16th century in retaliation to the assault on Corfe Castle. Only the foundations and cellars remained. It was rebuilt by Sir Walter Erle, commander of the Parliamentary forces which besieged Corfe Castle in 1646, (stone and timber taken from Corfe Castle were used in the building).
The house and grounds are surrounded by one of the longest walls in england built from more than 2 million bricks.
Charborough tower was built around 1790 is over 100ft high and has 161 steps.
The current occupier is Richard Drax, the Conservative Member of Parliament for South Dorset.























The path leading from the house to the tower


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## nelly (Jun 1, 2011)

Beautiful pictures 

Seems that one MP has let his expenses claim run a little wild!!! Follies indeed!!!


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## kathyms (Jun 1, 2011)

*folly*

nelly i was thinking the same lol. love the pics and the house is to die for. should have carried on with my carrier in local government who knows i could have ended up in a house like that. i was in the labour party lol. dont hold it against me tho.


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## nelly (Jun 1, 2011)

Lol, Kathy, the Labour Party, the house would have been even bigger and even your folly would have had a folly!!!


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## kathyms (Jun 1, 2011)

*labour party*

mmm true nell mabe i should re join


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## oldbloke (Jun 1, 2011)

Nice pictures.
Are those windows at the top? If so has the thing got a door?


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## filmknight (Jun 1, 2011)

Ha ha, government expenses indeed!
The Drax family were fortunate enough to have had the house passed down through the family from generation to generation since Elizabethan times.

They are windows at the top. There is a door on the side facing the house and steps leading up but the tower is closed to the public due to health and safety issues. Not that the tower is unstable but that if the public were allowed access then the estate would have to sort out public liability and everything.


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## waley_bean (Jun 2, 2011)

What a beautiful place.


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## urban-dorset (Jun 2, 2011)

I was lucky enough to go up in the Tower in 1979, I think it was. As far as I know that was the last time it was open to the public. Of course that was in the days before H & S went completely mad....


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## Foxylady (Jun 3, 2011)

Ooh, I really like that. Can I be a pain and say something, though...the gargoyles aren't gargoyles...when they are at the end of arches or supporting columns they're called corbels. Gargoyles are water spouts, but when they aren't used for that function they're called grotesques or bestials. Confused yet? 
Nice find, Filmknight.


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## filmknight (Jun 5, 2011)

Thanks for pointing that out Foxylady. Everyday is a school day


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## Foxylady (Jun 5, 2011)

filmknight said:


> ...Everyday is a school day


lol. For me too, but apologies if I come over a bit school teachery...I can do that sometimes without meaning to...it's a case of runaway enthusiasm!


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