Follies · South East England
Wilder's Folly
In or near Sulham.
Wilder's Folly — Folly or eyecatcher.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 20 min–45 min
- Nearest railway station
- Theale · 1.7 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
About
Wilder's Folly is a folly — a piece of decorative architecture built more for the view than any practical purpose — in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1769. Wikidata describes it as: "Folly or eyecatcher.". Coordinates: 51.4482°, -1.0673°.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2021
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Official information
Wilder's Folly is a historic folly and dovecote located near Sulham in Berkshire, England. Built in 1769 by Reverend Henry Wilder, it features an eclectic architectural style and offers views of the surrounding area.
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: North Wessex Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Wilder's Folly (also known as Pincent's Kiln, Nunhide Tower and Flint's Folly) is a folly and dovecote at Nunhide, near the village of Sulham in the English county of Berkshire.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The brick tower or belvedere on Nunhide Hill was built in 1769 by Reverend Henry Wilder (1744–1814) while he was courting Joan Thoyts (c. 1748–1837), younger sister of John Thoyts of Sulhamstead House. The building featured an open ground-level arcade. The painted first floor room was accessed by an exterior wooden staircase. The two floors above ground level featured glazed ogive windows. The castellated top contained a flat lead roof. In the late 19th century the building's windows were bricked up and the tower became a dovecote.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.4482, -1.0673
- District
- West Berkshire
- Parish
- Sulham
- Postcode
- RG8 8EF
- Parliamentary constituency
- Reading West and Mid Berkshire
- Established
- 1769
- Nearest railway station
- Theale — 1.7 km
- Official site
- en.wikipedia.org
Sources
- osm: w223232458 (ODbL)
- wikipedia: Wilder's Folly (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Wilder's Folly from the south.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Nunhide Manor
Manor houses · 0.2 km
Little Heath
Mountains & hills · 0.9 km
Theale
Villages · 1.4 km
Tilehurst Water Tower
Memorials & monuments · 1.4 km
Calcot Hotel
Hotels · 1.5 km
Moor Copse Nature Reserve
Wildlife reserves · 1.6 km
The Old Lamb
Historic pubs · 1.7 km
Sulham
Towns & cities · 1.8 km
Theale Green Community School
Natural landmarks · 1.9 km
Garston Lock
Canal locks · 1.9 km
Sheffield Lock
Canal locks · 2.0 km
Sheffield Bottom Lock
Natural landmarks · 2.1 km
Nearby
📷 5Manor houses · South East England
Nunhide Manor
Nunhide Manor — Grade II listed building-listed manor in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Mountains & hills · South East England
Little Heath
Little Heath — a hill or mountain in england south east.
📷 5📷 5Memorials & monuments · South East England
Tilehurst Water Tower
Tilehurst Water Tower — a water tower in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 7Hotels · South East England
Calcot Hotel
Calcot Hotel — a hotel in england south east.
📷 5Wildlife reserves · South East England
Moor Copse Nature Reserve
Moor Copse Nature Reserve — nature reserve in Berkshire.
Where to eat & stay near Wilder's Folly
Places to stay
📷 7Hotels · South East England
Calcot Hotel
Calcot Hotel — a hotel in england south east.
📷 7
📷 5Hotels · South East England
Crescent Hotel
Crescent Hotel — a hotel in england south east.
📷 5Hotels · South East England
Pentahotel Reading
Pentahotel Reading — a hotel in england south east.
📷 7Hotels · South East England
Travelodge Reading
Travelodge Reading — a hotel in england south east.
📷 5Hotels · South East England
voco Reading Hotel
voco Reading Hotel — a hotel in england south east.
Places to eat & drink
📷 7
📷 5Historic pubs · South East England
Brunswick Arms
Brunswick Arms in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · South East England
The Rose And Thistle Public House
The Rose And Thistle Public House in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 7
📷 5
📷 7Historic pubs · South East England
Horse And Jockey Public House
Horse And Jockey Public House in England South East, United Kingdom.
Other follies from this era
📷 5.jpg?width=1200)
📷 5.jpg?width=1200)
📷 5
📷 3More follies in this region
📷 5
📷 5
📷 5Follies · South East England
Clandon Park Grotto
Clandon Park Grotto — Folly or eyecatcher.
📷 5Follies · South East England
Clandon Park Temple
Clandon Park Temple — Folly or eyecatcher.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Wilder's Folly?
- Wilder's Folly is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode RG8 8EF), in the parish of Sulham.
- What is Wilder's Folly?
- Wilder's Folly — Folly or eyecatcher.
- How do I get to Wilder's Folly?
- The nearest railway station is Theale, about 1.7 km away. Drivers can use postcode RG8 8EF.
- When was Wilder's Folly built?
- Built or established in 1769.
- Is Wilder's Folly a protected site?
- Yes — Wilder's Folly is part of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape (AONB).
- Is Wilder's Folly free to visit?
- Yes, Wilder's Folly is free to enter.
- How do I get to Wilder's Folly?
- The nearest railway station is Theale, about 1.7 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode RG8 8EF.