In 1917 Tabley House was home to Cuthbert and Hilda Leicester-Warren and their children Margaret and John. That summer twelve year old Margaret and ten year old John made the folly tower, on a tiny island in the lake, their own private domain. On Saturday 7 July, with ‘due pomp and ceremony’, the tower was declared open for the season.
Cheshire
The Tower, Tabley House, Cheshire. Part I: Early Days.
J.M.W. Turner's view of the lake and tower at Tabley House. Full reference below.
Sir Peter Byrne Leicester inherited the Tabley estate in 1742. At that date the mansion and adjacent chapel were picturesquely situated on an island in a lake, but Sir Peter had new ideas. In around 1760 he called in John Carr of York to build a new mansion, in the Palladian style, on higher ground about half a mile from the old. With the new hall complete Sir Peter did not demolish the old hall and chapel on the island, but instead left them standing to be admired as ‘ornamental features in the landscape’ (although he had little choice as the terms of his inheritance compelled him to keep the old mansion in repair). Sir Peter’s son would later add a tower as an eye-catcher and picnic pavilion.
The Elephant and Castle, Peckforton, Cheshire
Exploring the rather charming little village of Peckforton in Cheshire, one might stumble across a rather unusual garden ornament. Tucked into a hedge, bordering a garden, is a huge stone elephant carrying a castle on its back. This was carved by the local stonemason, John Watson, and all sorts of stories are told of its history.
Henry & Julius Caesar, Rustic House Builders
The Himalayan Garden, Yorkshire
The last decades of the 19th century saw a passion for all things rustic in the garden – seats, arbours, bridges, and above all summerhouses. For as it was said in 1870, a garden summerhouse of some sort was ‘desirable, and indeed almost necessary’.
Mow Cop Folly, Cheshire/Staffordshire Border
Mow Cop as seen from the Cheshire side.
The sham castle folly on Mow Cop was built by Randle Wilbraham of Rode Hall in 1754 as a summerhouse to which the family could ride for picnics. Its elevated position meant it could be seen from the mansion, some three miles away on the Cheshire side of the county boundary.