Follies · South Wales
Folly Tower, Pontypool
The Folly Tower (Welsh: Tŵr Ffoledd) is a folly located within the grounds of a working farm, close to Pontypool Park, Torfaen, South Wales (Grid ref: SO 2954902550). It is a prominent local landmark
David Roberts — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 20 min–45 min
- Nearest railway station
- Pontypool and New Inn · 2.2 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Folly Tower in Pontypool, you can take the train to Pontypool and New Inn station, which is 2.2 km away. The postcode for navigation is NP4 8TS, and entry to the site is free.
About
The Folly Tower (Welsh: Tŵr Ffoledd) is a folly located within the grounds of a working farm, close to Pontypool Park, Torfaen, South Wales (Grid ref: SO 2954902550). It is a prominent local landmark above the A4042 Pontypool to Abergavenny road and overlooks Pontypool to the west and rural Monmouthshire to the east. The Folly is octagonal in shape and roughly 40 ft (12 m) high and is approximately 1,000 ft (305 m) above sea level on the eastern hill range of the Eastern Valley of Monmouthshire, just south of Mynydd Garn-Wen. Less than a mile from the folly is the Shell Grotto.
Photo gallery
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: River Wye SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Severn Estuary SSSI
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
The Folly Tower (Welsh: Tŵr Ffoledd) is a folly located within the grounds of a working farm, close to Pontypool Park, Torfaen, South Wales (Grid ref: SO 2954902550). It is a prominent local landmark above the A4042 Pontypool to Abergavenny road and overlooks Pontypool to the west and rural Monmouthshire to the east. The Folly is octagonal in shape and roughly 40 ft (12 m) high and is approximately 1,000 ft (305 m) above sea level on the eastern hill range of the Eastern Valley of Monmouthshire, just south of Mynydd Garn-Wen. Less than a mile from the folly is the Shell Grotto.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The precise date of construction is unknown but it is generally thought that the original tower was built around 1765 to 1770 by John Hanbury, a local landowner and ironmaster who owned Pontypool Park. The local name of The Folly was in use as far back as 1865 when the Free Press of Monmouthshire described it as: <blockquote>"...an elevated spot where a Tower (formerly a Roman watch-tower) was many years since rebuilt as an observatory and which is popularly known as 'The Folly'."</blockquote> It is thought that the tower was renovated around 1831 by Capel Hanbury Leigh. This date is derived from a keystone from the doorway bearing an '1831' inscription. The tower provides a vantage point…
Visiting
Access to the Folly Tower is via a field which is part of a working farm. Livestock is often present, not only in this field, but on the common land surrounding the council car park. A barrier was erected in 2010 to protect the area to prevent campers and other visitors overstaying.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.7168, -3.0219
- District
- Monmouthshire
- Parish
- Goetre Fawr
- Postcode
- NP4 8TS
- Parliamentary constituency
- Monmouthshire
- Nearest railway station
- Pontypool and New Inn — 2.2 km
Sources
- wikipedia: Folly Tower, Pontypool (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Folly Tower (292m)
Memorials & monuments · 0.0 km
Bridge 59, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
Historic bridges · 0.7 km
Bridge 60, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
Historic bridges · 0.8 km
Persondy
Gardens · 0.9 km
Bridge 57, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
Historic bridges · 0.9 km
Ysgol Gymraeg Gwynllyw
Natural landmarks · 1.1 km
Church of St. Cadoc
Historic churches · 1.2 km
Bridge No. 62
Historic bridges · 1.2 km
Mamhilad
Villages · 1.3 km
Church of St Illtyd
Historic churches · 1.4 km
Bridge 56, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
Historic bridges · 1.4 km
Shell Grotto
Archaeological sites · 1.5 km
Nearby
📷 3Memorials & monuments · South Wales
Folly Tower (292m)
Folly Tower (292m) — a memorial in wales-south, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic bridges · South Wales
Bridge 59, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
Bridge 59, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in wales-south, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic bridges · South Wales
Bridge 60, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
Bridge 60, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in wales-south, United Kingdom.
📷 4📷 5Historic bridges · South Wales
Bridge 57, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
Bridge 57, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in wales-south, United Kingdom.
📷 5Natural landmarks · South Wales
Ysgol Gymraeg Gwynllyw
Ysgol Gymraeg Gwynllyw — a school heritage in wales-south, United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near Folly Tower, Pontypool
Places to stay
📷 5
📷 5Campsites · South Wales
Pont Kemys Caravan & Camping Park
Pont Kemys Caravan & Camping Park — a campsite in wales south.
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📷 7
📷 7
📷 5Places to eat & drink
Restaurants · South Wales
Little Crown
Little Crown — a restaurant in wales south.
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📷 7
📷 3
📷 5Historic pubs · South Wales
The White Hart, Llangybi, Monmouthshire
The White Hart, Llangybi, Monmouthshire in Wales South, United Kingdom.
📷 7Restaurants · South Wales
The Priory Hotel & Restaurant
The Priory Hotel & Restaurant — a restaurant in wales south. Cuisine: international. 3-star.
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📷 3Frequently asked questions
- Where is Folly Tower, Pontypool?
- Folly Tower, Pontypool is in South Wales, United Kingdom (postcode NP4 8TS), in the parish of Goetre Fawr.
- What is Folly Tower, Pontypool?
- The Folly Tower (Welsh: Tŵr Ffoledd) is a folly located within the grounds of a working farm, close to Pontypool Park, Torfaen, South Wales (Grid ref: SO 2954902550). It is a prominent local landmark
- How do I get to Folly Tower, Pontypool?
- The nearest railway station is Pontypool and New Inn, about 2.2 km away. Drivers can use postcode NP4 8TS.
- Who owns Folly Tower, Pontypool?
- Folly Tower, Pontypool is owned by Torfaen County Borough Council.
- Is Folly Tower, Pontypool a protected site?
- Yes — Folly Tower, Pontypool is part of the River Wye SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Severn Estuary SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Is Folly Tower, Pontypool free to visit?
- Yes, Folly Tower, Pontypool is free to enter.
- How do I get to Folly Tower, Pontypool?
- The nearest railway station is Pontypool and New Inn, about 2.2 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode NP4 8TS.