Inspired by a folly which he had seen in Ireland, Joe Donnelly decided to build an eye-catcher on a patch of waste ground near his home. It was constructed between 2011 and 2015, and once the building work was complete Joe, with his grandson Aidan, created a garden around the folly. During lockdown Joe and Aidan (the latter by now working in horticulture) used their time to redesign the planting around the sham ruin.
The folly echoes the genuine ruins of nearby Kilwinning Abbey, below. The abbey was established in the late 1100s as home to a community of monks from Kelso Abbey, but was abandoned after the Protestant Reformation in Scotland in 1560. History tells that the abbey was pulled down by a ‘Protestant mob’, but the dramatic wall and gable of the south transept were left standing.
The folly at Kilwinning continues a Scottish tradition of such simple, but extremely effective, eye-catchers in the landscape. At Blair Atholl in Perthshire stands The Whim, built in the middle of the eighteenth century as an object to be viewed from Blair Castle in the valley below.
And on the Mellerstain estate in the Borders is the wonderfully named Hundy Mundy, thought to have been erected in the 1720s as an eye-catcher from the mansion. The tale is told that the folly takes its name from a Pictish Princess called Hunnimundias who lived nearby. The Flâneuse often experiences frissons of excitement when visiting follies, but she was surprised to feel such a powerful surge when visiting the Hundy Mundy: it turns out that she was leaning against an untagged electric fence when trying to get a good photograph.
High on a hillside in Easter Ross are the equally exotically named Gates of Negapatam, also known as the Fyrish Monument. The folly was erected in 1782 by Sir Hector Munro, the 8th Earl of Novar (1726-1805) who had served in Madras and, as the story goes, modelled his hilltop monument on that city’s Gates of Negapatam.
The Kilwinning folly might stand in a slightly less palatial plot, but it is every bit as impressive. The planting around the folly is constantly evolving, with old roses, herbaceous plants, grasses and bulbs adding interest.
The folly can be seen from the road, but as it is a private garden the Flâneuse won’t reveal the exact location: intrepid folly spotters will find it. For more on Kilwinning Abbey click here.
The Whim at Blair and the Fyrish monument can be reached via public footpaths. The land around the Hundy Mundy is now a tranquil woodland burial ground but respectful visitors are welcome.
Thanks to the Scottish Correspondent for sharing news that the Fyrish Monument’s lonely hilltop setting is threatened by plans for an onshore wind farm. There’s more here.
Your thoughts are always welcome – scroll down to the comments box at the foot of the page to get in touch. Thank you for reading.
Gwyn Headley says:
A great discovery, along with three of my favourite Scottish follies to start a beautiful morning — thank you! Do the Gates of Negapatam sooner rather than later; I parked the car on a morning like this in June and by the time I finally reached them it was snowing.
Editor says:
Good morning Gwyn. I am ashamed that I have never seen the monument (and the lesser known follies on the hillside). I have only looked up to it from the road below. It is top priority for my next foray into North Briton. I’d better get on with it whilst I still have the stamina!
Rita Lamb says:
Wonderful! I’d only ever thought of follies as historic buildings but if you have the land, the skills and the materials I suppose there’s nothing to stop you whacking one up yourself.
Oh yes, and planning permission.
Editor says:
Hello Rita. Planning permission was not a problem for 18th century folly builders – or perhaps there wouldn’t be so many! It is great to find people like Joe and Aidan who do have the skills to create a wonderful modern folly.
Kate Dyson says:
Lovely to know that the art of folly building is still going strong.
Editor says:
Hello Kate. I couldn’t agree more!
Janet Hallett says:
Hi Karen.
Great article, but you have your labels mixed up I believe. I have visited Hundy Mundy, which is an emotive visit because of the woodland burial area, but you have it labelled as The Whim.xxxx
Editor says:
Hello Janet. I’m not sure what you can see on your screen, but I have checked and the images appear correctly labelled on mine so it must be a glitch somewhere. Pleased you enjoyed the article.
Alan Terill says:
That’s brilliant for a new construction – the blackening of the stonework on the edges looks totally convincing, and the stonework itself is very neatly put together. I think Joe must have been a mason, not a complete amateur.
Editor says:
Hello Alan. I should have known that a fellow folly-builder like yourself would spot such detail! It is beautifully executed.
Gand says:
That was such a good piece on Scottish follies.
So good in fact just like New York we received it twice.
Editor says:
Thank you Gand. Better twice than not at all (I hope!)
Simon Scott says:
The Kilwinning folly is in a current newsstand magazine. I think English Garden but flick through before buying in case I have got the wrong magazine! Sorry to not be certain but have passed magazine on already…
Editor says:
Hello Simon. Yes, there’s an article in the English Garden, with a focus on the horticulture. I visited in August last year, but I’d love to see the folly surrounded by different seasonal planting. I’ve seen photos of the folly in the snow and it looked magnificent.
Simon Scott says:
Certainly looks impressive and designed/built with skill…
TOM GARDNER says:
TOM (NYC)
THE CLOSEST ‘EXAMPLE’ TO THESE STRUCTURES, I CAN OFFER, AS BOTH AN AMERICAN AND A NEW YORKER, IS : THE REMAINING WALLS OF … THE JAMES RENWICK JR. c. 1856, ROOSEVELT ISLAND (FORMERLY – WELFARE, ISLAND), SMALLPOX HOSPITAL.
… AT NIGHT, THE LIGHTING IS BOTH IMPRESSIVE AND HAUNTING.
MILLIONS HAVE BEEN SPENT IN ITS RESTORATION, BUT WELL WORTH IT.
THE PAIN AND SUFFERING OF THOSE, WHOSE LAST DAYS WERE SPENT THERE –
LEND A SOMBER TONE TO THE REMAINING … ‘SHELL’ OF THE HOSPITAL.
Editor says:
Good afternoon Tom. I was interested to learn more about this building, thank you for sharing the information. It is a moving sight.