Follies · West Midlands
Perrott's Folly
Also known as: The Observatory;The Monument
In or near Birmingham.
Perrott's Folly — Folly or eyecatcher, 1758.
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Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 20 min–45 min
- Nearest railway station
- Five Ways · 1.3 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
About
Perrott's Folly is a folly — a piece of decorative architecture built more for the view than any practical purpose — in the United Kingdom. OpenStreetMap heritage rating: 2/5. Also known as: The Observatory;The Monument. Wikidata describes it as: "Folly or eyecatcher, 1758.". Coordinates: 52.4744°, -1.9312°.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
Perrott's Folly, grid reference SP047862, also known as The Monument, or The Observatory, is a 29-metre (96-foot) tall tower, built in 1758. It is a Grade II* listed building in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
Built in the open Rotton Park by John Perrott in 1758, who lived in Belbroughton, the tower now stands high above the local residential and business housing. There are many stories to explain why the tower was built: that John Perrott wanted to be able to survey his land and perhaps entertain guests; or to spot animals for hunting; or so that he could see his wife's grave, 15 mi away. From 1884 to 1979 the tower was used as a weather recording station for the Birmingham and Midland Institute. In 1966 the Geography Department of the University of Birmingham took over the running of the observatory until operations were transferred to the main campus. It has been suggested, but not proven,…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 52.4744, -1.9312
- District
- Birmingham
- Parish
- Birmingham, unparished area
- Postcode
- B16 9PT
- Parliamentary constituency
- Birmingham Edgbaston
- Nearest railway station
- Five Ways — 1.3 km
Sources
- osm: w87172412 (ODbL)
- wikipedia: Perrott's Folly (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Perrotts Folly 1 (4621764444).jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby

Perrott's Folly
Observatories · 0.0 km

ABC Edgbaston
Theatres · 0.1 km

204-207, Monument Road B16
Memorials & monuments · 0.2 km

Edgbaston Waterworks
Historic houses · 0.2 km

The Ivy
Restaurants · 0.3 km

276, Monument Road B16
Memorials & monuments · 0.3 km

Plough and Harrow Hotel
Hotels · 0.3 km

blue plaque: John Henry Cardinal Newman
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The Plough And Harrow
Historic pubs · 0.3 km

St John's Church
Abbeys & priories · 0.4 km

St John's Church
Cathedrals · 0.4 km

blue plaque: J.R.R. Tolkien
Memorials & monuments · 0.5 km
Nearby
📷 3Observatories · West Midlands
Perrott's Folly
Perrott's Folly — tall tower built in 1758 in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Memorials & monuments · West Midlands
204-207, Monument Road B16
204-207, Monument Road B16 — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
Historic houses · West Midlands
Edgbaston Waterworks
Edgbaston Waterworks — a Grade II-listed historic house in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
Restaurants · West Midlands
The Ivy
The Ivy — a restaurant in england west midlands. Cuisine: british. Brand: The Ivy Collection.
Memorials & monuments · West Midlands
276, Monument Road B16
276, Monument Road B16 — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near Perrott's Folly
Places to stay
📷 6Hotels · West Midlands
Plough and Harrow Hotel
Plough and Harrow Hotel — a hotel in england west midlands.
Hostels · West Midlands
Alexandra Residential Club
Alexandra Residential Club — a hostel in england west midlands.
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Park Regis
Park Regis — a hotel in england west midlands.
Hotels · West Midlands
Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham Brindleyplace
Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham Brindleyplace — a hotel in england west midlands. 4-star. Brand: Hilton Garden Inn.
📷 7Hotels · West Midlands
Hampton by Hilton Birmingham Broad Street
Hampton by Hilton Birmingham Broad Street — a hotel in england west midlands. Brand: Hampton.
Places to eat & drink
Restaurants · West Midlands
The Ivy
The Ivy — a restaurant in england west midlands. Cuisine: british. Brand: The Ivy Collection.
Historic pubs · West Midlands
The Plough And Harrow
The Plough And Harrow — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.
Historic pubs · West Midlands
The White Swan
The White Swan — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.
Historic pubs · West Midlands
The Distillery
The Distillery — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.
📷 4Historic pubs · West Midlands
The Bull's Head
The Bull's Head — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.
More follies in this region
📷 5Follies · West Midlands
Broadway Tower
Broadway Tower — Folly or eyecatcher, 1798–1799.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Perrott's Folly?
- Perrott's Folly is in the West Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode B16 9PT), in the parish of Birmingham, unparished area.
- What is Perrott's Folly?
- Perrott's Folly — Folly or eyecatcher, 1758.
- How do I get to Perrott's Folly?
- The nearest railway station is Five Ways, about 1.3 km away. Drivers can use postcode B16 9PT.
- Is Perrott's Folly free to visit?
- Yes, Perrott's Folly is free to enter.
- How do I get to Perrott's Folly?
- The nearest railway station is Five Ways, about 1.3 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode B16 9PT.