Discussion Group: Wiltshire Follies
Wednesday 1st March, 7:30pm, Library Meeting Room
In this Discussion Group meeting Jonathan Holt will be talking about Wiltshire Follies.
Wiltshire is full of follies which can take many forms – towers, summer houses, grottoes, shell houses, eyecatchers, mock ruins, temples, hermitages, obelisks, pagodas, rustic seats…the list goes on. The stories behind them are many and various – built out of passion, megalomania, artistry, showing off one’s wealth or to keep up with or block out one’s neighbours. Many follies are tucked away in private grounds and rarely seen by the public, but Jonathan has been granted access to these sites and some of these will be included in the talk.
Jonathan has been talking and writing on the subject of architectural follies for nearly 30 years, including as Editor of Follies, the organ of the Folly Fellowship (www.follies.org.uk), a charity dedicated to their preservation and enjoyment. He will be bringing a small selection of his books for sale to this meeting. Jonathan’s books include:
- Wiltshire Follies (2019) published by Amberley Publishing, the result of more than 30 years of explorations around the county, which brings together the very best of its curious buildings.
- The Follies of Bristol & Gloucestershire (in two parts in 2014 & 15) pub: The Folly Fellowship
- Somerset Follies (2007) pub: Akeman Press
- Discover Dorset: Follies (2017) pub: Dovecote Press
I do hope you can join us for what promises to be, once again, a very interesting evening.
Discussion Group covers a wide range of subjects, and if you haven’t been along to a session yet, do try it out.
The meetings take place on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30pm in the Library Meeting Room, and are FREE to members. Non-members can attend one session before being asked to join. If you know of someone who isn’t a member, do bring them along – it’s a great introduction to the Museum. View the Discussion Group programme for 2023.
If you would like to volunteer to give a talk to Discussion Group in 2023, please contact Kate Turnbull at turnbullke@googlemail.com.