Folly as Architecture

What is a Folly?

A folly, in architectural terms, is an expensive building without function that is meant to enhance an outdoor area. Follies were first employed in England and were particularly popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Landscaping around that time also began to be greatly influenced by the Romantic period. Follies themselves often resembled Romantic structures, such as medieval towers, ruined castles, or crumbling temples. They even made use of eroded columns to add authenticity. 

​

However, to suit the picturesque nature of these landscapes, follies were built much smaller than the buildings they imitated. But despite their occasional use as pavilions or gathering places, follies were mostly used for visual effect alone. 

​

Follies appeared in Britain as early as 1595, with Sir Thomas Tresham’s Rushton Lodge, as the first of its kind. The concept of a folly later caught on among the nobility in Britain and became a staple of high-born landscaping. The Romantic influence of the folly in Britain even spread to France, with the inception of the “petite maison,” which was a kind of wall that sat around a property to block it from view. 

​

Interestingly enough, the name “folly” originated from a nickname that the gentry gave these buildings to represent the folly of the builder. These buildings were purely whimsical and constructed to fulfill the imagination of the builder, and so this “folly” was a reference to madness. It was thought at the time that there was no sense in erecting a building with no functional purpose. 

​

As the concept of the folly eventually made its way to America, architecture became heavily influenced by Romanticism. Banks and city halls were constructed in the classical temple form after various follies that were built in England. The upper class soon began to imitate them, building their own follies on their estate grounds. 

​

By understanding the history of follies, we can grasp the context of the setting of Talley’s Folly more fully. Follies showed the wealth of the families that built something ornamental, but essentially useless.