Horton Folly, Dorset

This is an old explore but i thought it's well worthy of a post as you dont see to many of these old fellas left, well one of this size anyway.

A lilltle info:

At 140 feet high this Folly was built in 1750 by architect and Lord of Horton Manor, Humphrey Sturt, who was also an MP for Dorset (1745 - 1786).

Also known as Sturt's folly, the reasons for its original construction remain unclear, but one theory suggests its owner planned to use the tower as an observatory, stargazing in the night sky.
Other reasons point to it as place where Sturt could observe hunting, high up the tower with views for miles around.

It's a grand and gothic five storey red brick tower, but over the years it had fallen into a state of disrepair
and had become not much more than a shell.

In recent years, the tower has found a new purpose as a place to house mobile phone signal masts - fixed
discreetly to its sides, near the top of the tower - with mobile phone company Vodafone undertaking some
restoration work after they received planning permission to attach the masts.

Old drawing.









Close up showing Vodafone masts at top either side of windows.



There are still fire places up the walls where the floors used to be, 4th floor up i think.











Tons of dead birds at top level and it stunk so only managed to stomach time for one pic!



Theres a nice pub called the Drusilla's inn which is not far from the tower, easy place to park and a nice way to

end an explore!

http://www.drusillasinn.co.uk/pictures.php

Thanks for looking.

Ahhh, now we know what your avatar is! I did wonder!
Impressive looking folly. Quite imposing inside, too.
Cheers, Dazaf. Nice to see.

my uncle lives in dorset and im up to see him at the end of the month, might have to pop along to this 1
p.s love ur location costa del dorset

I like the look of this one fella...great shots too.

Cool pics there dude, looks like a really interesting explore, so long as you've a head for heights!

Thanks for the comments people!

Access was a bit of a fluke!
Pics not to great but managed to jazz a few up on the edit option on photobucket, quite impressed for a novice photographer!

I just watched the 1967 version of "Far from the Madding Crowd" and this tower appears about three quarters of the way through - a cock fight is staged there. Some great shots footage of a building I knew I recognised from these forums.

Thanks Dazaf for a report which obviously made an impression and stuck in my mind. Great building and lovely pics.

Thanks very much!

I did hear that this folly was used in a film or films, will have to try and catch that one!

Keep meaning to get back down there as last vist we were chased off by angry neighbors with spot lights, we was just looking!