Here are all the events that have been held over the years:
2024
20th Jan – Norfolk – Follies in the Flat Land – Jonathan Holt
3rd Feb – Online Talk – Hedging One’s Bets – Topiary as Folly? by Peter Godfrey
15th June – Peak District trip; Chatsworth, Kedleston Hall etc
18th May- Hertfordshire Ramble
18th Aug – Annual Garden Party – Eridge Park, Sussex
6th-8th Sept – Paris Trip – Desert de Retz, Maison Picassiette, Parc Butte Chaumont & Parc Monceau
2023
27th January – Online talk – ‘More Grand Days Out’ by Peter Godfrey
10th February – Online Talk -The Amsterdam School of Architecture by Alan Terrill
17th Feb – Online Talk – Wentworth Woodhouse Revisited: the ideal folly collection? – Christine Upton
12th May – Hugh’s Follies- Broadway Tower, Hugh’s Follies at Taston, then Ditchley Park.
10th June – Summer in Somerset – Mells Park, Pondsmead Grotto and Spindle Cottage
10th September – Goldney Grotto, Bristol
18th November – Online talk Art Nouveau in Europe by Alan Terrill
2nd December – Online Talk – Buildings of Delight – Bristol follies past and present – Peter Godrey
16th December – Online Talk -Architecture on the Carpet by Alan Terrill
2022
5th February – Online talk ‘Swiss Cottages’ by Kate Harwood
19th February – Online talk – ‘Peterhof – water used as high drama and powerplay’ by Caroline Holmes
12th March – Online talk – ‘What foolishness: how six cushions in a London garden led to a five-sided folly with gothic windows, castellations, a pyramid, and a lantern round which the eight Greek winds blow’ by Jane Dorner
19th March – Online Talk – ‘A Grand Day Out- Jaunts with the Folly Fellowship’ by Peter Godfrey
26th March – Online Talk – ‘Mustard, Easter Eggs, Nonconformisim, two brave men and a workaholic Scotsman’ by Gin Warren
2nd April – Online Talk – ‘The Life, Fancies and Foibles of William Beckford: Art Collector, Folly Builder and Fantasy Writer’ by Jonathan Holt
9th April – Online Talk – ‘The Various Follies and garden buildings of Enville and Hagley Estates’ by Gordon Whittaker
27th April – Enville Hall
27th May- 30th May- Potsdam trip including Pfaueninsel, Sanssoucci Park, Babelsberg Park and the Neuer Garden.
21st June – Shugborough Park and Weston Park, Staffs.
21st August – Garden Party at Rousham, Oxfordshire
2nd -4th September- Lake District tour based in Ambleside.
25th September – Gunton Park, Norfolk.
11th November – Online talk ‘Lodges and Gatehouses’ by Alan Terrill
25th November – Online talk ‘Pyramids and Cones in Britain’ by Claire Terrill
2nd December – Online talk ‘The changing faces of Shugborough – don’t believe all that you read! ‘ by Mike Cousins
9th December – Online talk ‘ Much More than a Capricho: Comillas as the Prelude to Barcelonan Modernism’ by Jonathan Holt
16th December – Online talk ‘Strange Belgian Houses (and other curious buildings)’ by Alan Terrill
2021
16th January – Online talk ‘The Fellowship Abroad’ by Peter Godfrey
30th January – Online talk ‘An Introduction to Follies’ by Alan Terrill
6th February – Online talk ‘Are There Follies Down Under’ by Christine Upton
27th February – Online talk ‘Shell Artists of our time: Tales of Perseverance, Patience and Paella’ by Jonathan Holt
13th March- Online talk ‘A Virtual tour of the Follies and Curiosities of the Welsh Marches’ by Claire Terrill
20th March – Online talk – ‘Follies of Potsdam’ by Peter Godfrey
10th April- Online talk – ‘Creation of a late 18th century genteel suburb in Camberwell, South London’ by Peter Cooke
24th April -Online talk – ‘Another virtual tour of Shropshire Follies and Curiosities’, by Claire Terrill
1st May – Online Talk -‘ A History of Corrugated iron Buildings’ by Claire Terrill
8th May- Online talk – ‘Public parks in Milton Keynes’ by Claire de Carle
21st August – Chesterton Windmill and Farnborough Hall, Warwickshire
5th September – Garden Party, Iford Manor, Wiltshire
6th November – Online talk ‘Ickworth House’ by Caroline Holmes
20th Nov – Online talk ‘Weird Things in Saskatchewan’ by Claire Terrill
4th Dec: Online talk ‘India in Britain’ by Kate Harwood
18th December – Online talk ‘Infinitely Beautiful – Follies of the Dessau Worlitz Garden Realm’ by Peter Godfrey
2020
5th December – Online talk ‘How to Build a Folly’ by Alan Terrill
2019
18th May- Wimpole Hall
8th -9th June – Northern Ireland
6th July – East Anglia
25th Aug -Highgrove
31st Aug – Garden Party at Henbury Hall, Cheshire
21st – 22nd September – Edinburgh Ancient and Modern. Calton Hill, Jupiter Artland and Little Sparta
2018
9th-10th June – Bristol Follies – Blaise Castle and Kingsweston, plus Warmley Grotto
July 22nd – 30th Anniversary Garden Party at Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire
6th Oct – Painshill and Vanbrugh’s Belvedere, Claremont
Nov 3rd -4th – Symposium at Lydiard Park
2017
25th-26th March – North Dorset tour – Wimborne St Giles, Larmer Tree, Durweston, Berwick St John, Pen Selwood and Castlebridge.
13th-14th May – Yorkshire – Aysgarth Rock Garden, Swinithwaite Temple, Hackfall and Ilton Circle + the Forbidden Corner
23rd July – Garden Party at Hawkstone Park, Shropshire
9th and 10th September – Dessau, Germany – a visit to the gardens of Worlitz, Luisium and Oranienbaum.
2016
22nd May – Chauffeur’s Flat, Tandridge, Surrey, Broadwood Tower and Holmbush House, Sussex
4th June- Banwell caves and folllies
1st – 3rd July – Capability Brown weekend -visit to Olicana Mosaics workshop, Temple Newsam, Bramham Park, Sledmere, Scampston and Terrington shell house.
31st July – Garden Party at Porter’s Lodge, Cavenham, Suffolk.
11th Sept – South London tour – The dinosaurs of Crystal Palace plus a ruin and two towers
2015
11th April – Halswell Park, Somerset
6th-7th June – Bath & Bristol follies (with Follies Trust)
4th July – Garden party at Seend Manor, Wiltshire
5th September – Mt Edgcumbe & Devonport
2nd October – Knutsford and Adlington Hall
2014
6th and 7th September -Italy trip including La Scarzuoa and Bomarzo
27th July -Garden party at Flaxbourne Gardens, Aspley Guise, Beds.
18th May – Swanage tour
26th April – Hereford Border Ramble -Tenbury Wells Pump Room, Pembury Water Gardens, Shobden Arches and Gothick Church, and Bryan’s Ground.
2013
8th & 9th Sept – Norfolk follies – Helter Skelter House, Felmingham Chapel, Corpusty Gardens and Blickling Mausoleum
17th August – Annual Garden Party -Highclere Castle
21st July – West Wycombe Park
5th June – Grove House estate, Wandsworth, London
27th April – Hestercombe Gardens, Somerset
2012
22nd/23rd Sept – Sintra, Portugal incorporating Monserrate, Qunita De Regaleira and Pena Palace
8th Sept – Garden Party at Stowe
4th August – Boughton Park, Northampton
1st July – AGM at Alvechurch
29th June – Windsor Great Park -The grotto and ruined dairy of Frogmore
26th May- North Devon Miscellany – various local follies including Tawstock Tower, Barnstaple Watchtower and Rosemoor Gazebo
22nd April – Burt’s Bits -An exploration of George Burt’s architectural legacy around Swanage including the newly restored Durlston Castle, Wellington Tower, Town Hall façade, Ulwell Obelisk, and Purbeck House.
2011
6th March- AGM and visit to Haddonstone Show Garden
20th-21st March- Welsh Wander – Paxton’s Tower, Cilwendeg Shell House, Foel Ortho.
6th May – Eridge and Chiddingstone castle, Kent
29th July – Cheshire visit to Eaton Hall and Tabley House Tower
20th August – Garden Party at Hope Valley, Shropshire plus Dolfor grotto and Leighton Hall Poultry House
24th September – Herefordshire ramble with vists to Westonbury Water Gardens, Hampton Court and Cadmore Lodge.
2010
24 April 2010 – West Country Wander- Prior Park Bath, Crew’s Hole Bath house, Bristol and the work of Graham Caine at St Werburghs Bristol
1st -2nd May -Northumberland -including Codger’s Fort and Rothley Castle.
13th June- AGM at Kensal Green Cemetery
10th – 11th July – North Lincolnshire Weekend -Brocklesby Park and Cleethorpes ‘Fitties’ estate
15th August – Annual FF Garden Party. Hall Barn, Beaconsfield, Bucks
11th Sept – The Cotswold Collection – Painswick Rococco Garden and Woodchester Manor
2009
19th May – Stanway and Sezincote in Gloucestershire
31st May- AGM at Rushton, Northants.
27th June -Ross-on-Wye follies, Ruardean tower and Dewstow gardens.
30th August – The Annual Folly Fellowship garden party at Wotton in Buckinghamshire
12th Sept – Forbidden Corner trip
2008
8th March -AGM at the Corn Exchange, Faringdon, preceded by a guided tour of Lord Berners’ folly.
13th April – Tour of Somerset Follies including Montacute, Avishays and Cricket St Thomas
15th June – Visit to Painshill Park, Cobham, Surrey
13th July – Tour of Derbyshire follies including Elvaston, Swarkestone pavilion, Foremark caves and Calke abbey.
16th August – Annual Garden Party at Horton Menagerie, Northamptonshire
20/21st September – Beckford/Bath weekend – Included a tour of the Fonthill estate and the Lansdown tower
8th November- Hardwick Park, Sedgefield, Durham. A tour of this newly restored garden with its temples.
2007
31st March – A trip to the Shell House at Sherbourne
22nd July – Badminton estate, Gloucestershire , plus Colin’s Barn, Tetbury
18th August – Annual garden party took place at Pelham Place, Newton Valence, Hampshire. An exciting new folly garden with work by Vernon Gibberd and Derek Bruce, including an underground canal grotto.
8th September – A tour of Mad Jack Fuller’s follies at Brightling, Sussex
5th-7th October – Trip to multiple follies in the Edinburgh and Mid-Lothian region, including Dryden Tower, Treggles Tower, Hurely Grotto and Cammo Tower, amongst others.
20th October – A visit to the Forbidden Corner, Tupgill Park, Yorkshire, accompanied by the architect Malcolm Tempest
4th November – Croome Park, including a guided walk with Mike Smith, National Trust manager, and Mike Cousins .
2006
12th March – AGM at Carshalton House, Carshalton, Surrey with early-18th-century water tower, hermitage-cum-grotto.
Saturday 18 March – Stourhead, Wiltshire.
Saturday and Sunday 22-23 April – Tiptoe through the Tulips . Two days near the blooming bulb-fields in (north-west) Holland. First day: a castle-pumping-station, three estates with 18th and 19th Century park designs, and several isolated items on the way. Second day: great contemporary do-it-yourself follies (some by fellow members!).
1st July – The FF Annual Garden Party Wentworth Castle, South Yorkshire.
3rd September – Elton Hall, Near Ludlow, Herefordshire, & Kyre Park, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire.
1st October – Acton Round, Shropshire . Follies, Garden Buildings and medieval weapons of war – a tour of Hew Kennedy’s estate north west of Bridgnorth., plus a visit to Walcot Hall to see the Dacha.
14-15 October – Isle of Wight . A tour of the follies of this island to celebrate the life of Ken Bright a very much loved member who died in 2005 and who came from Ryde.
2005
7 March – Hewell Grange Worcestershire. An operational prison.
16 April – Settrington and Scampston, near Malton. Settrington House with modern follies by the late Francis Johnson and Scampston Hall with its ‘Capability’ Brown Landscape and Palladian bridge.
25 June – Flounder’s Folly, Shropshire.
9/10 July – Lancashire Weekend. The weekend included visits to Lancaster town centre, Castle and Priory, Williamson Park and Ashton memorial.
23 July – Widden Hill House garden follies near Horton, Chipping Sodbury.
13 August – Annual Garden Party at Barwick Park near Yeovil, Somerset.
2004
27th-28th March- Three Counties Weekend – Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset
15th-16th May – Yorkshire Wolds Weekend
25th June – Hewell Grange, Worcestershire
7th August – Garden Party at Consall Hall, Staffordshire
12th September – Shotover and Ditchley, Oxfordshire
3rd October- Le Palais Ideal, France
2003
15th June – Larmer Tree Gardens, Wiltshire & Wardour Castle
2nd August – Saltram House, Devon
16th August- Garden Party at Stancombe Park, Gloucestershire
27th September – Welbeck Abbey, Nottinghamshire
18th October- Cardiff Castle and Castell Coch
2002
24th Feb- Hagley
6th and 7th April – Castell Coch and Cardiff Castle
27th April – Alton Towers
2nd and 3rd June- Cobham Hall, Quex Park and Margate
17th August- Garden Party at West Green House, Hampshire
14th September – Gunnersbury Park
23rd November – Swinton Park and Druid’s Temple
2001
7th April – Alton Towers and Biddulph Grange
7th July- Williamson’s Tunnels, Liverpool
11th August – Garden Party at Forbidden Corner, Middleham, Yorkshire
15th September – South-East Hampshire- Fort Widley & Staunton Park
13th & 14th October – Highclere Castle, Hampshire
2000
8th April – Bramham Park, Yorkshire
13th May – Bladon Castle, Sedbury Deerfold and Tutbury Castle
30th June – Belcombe Court, Bradford-on Avon, Wiltshire
26th August – Garden Party at Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
9th September – Suffolk follies inc Thorpeness, Freston Tower, Martlesham & Westleton.
October – Mad Jack Fuller’s follies, Brightling, Sussex.
1999
27th March – Little Italy, Machynlleth, Powys
18th April – Brocklesby Park, Lincolnshire
1st May – Luttrel’s Tower and Cadland in Fawley, Hampshire
24th July – Garenden Park, Leicestershire
14th August – Garden party at Claremont, Surrey
28th – 30th August – Scottish Weekend including Mount Stewart, Cahrles Jencks’s garden and Kelburn Castle
11th September – Walton Castle, Worlesbury Observatory and Banwell caves and tower.
1998
15th March – Horsley Towers, Surrey
16th May -Parc Glyllifon, Gwynedd
20th June- Castle Hill, Filleigh, Devon
5th July – The Tresham Trail – Northants
29th and 30th August – Weekend in Scotland -including the Pineapple, ice house at Broomhall, Blacarres Crag folly and Dairsie castle
18th October – Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal
1997
28/29th June – Wentworth Castle and Wentworth Woodhouse
16th August – Garden Party at Wrest Park, Bedfordshire
29th September – Fawley Court, Henley on Thames
1996
27th April – Horton Menagerie, Northamptonshire
11th May – The Gnoll, Neath, Wales
29 & 30th June – Bath Follies and Goldney
21st July – West Wycombe
14th September – Forbidden Corner, Yorkshire
1995
14th May – Notgrove Manor, Gloucestershire + Painswick
29th July – Painshill
12th August – Garden Party at Rousham
16th September – Chesterton Windmill + Farnborough Hall, Warwickshire
7th October – Pontypool Tower & Grotto + Clytha Castle
1994
23rd April – Perrots Folly
12th June – Barwick Park
13th August – Garden Party at Busbridge Lakes, Surrey
September 1994 – Hagley
1993
12th June – Halswell House
7th Aug – Garden Party at Hawkstone Park
11th September – Croombe Court
1992
6th June – Larmer Tree Gardens
8th August – Stancombe Park, Gloucestershire -Garden Party
26th Sept – Strawberry Hill, Twickenham
10th & 11th Oct – Desert de Retz, Paris
1991
8th June – Banwell Castle and Caves
20th July, 3rd August, 17th August & 24th August – Bath Follies tour inc Beckford’s Tower, Pinch’s Folly, Ralph Allen’s Sham Castle, Sidney Gardens Temple & Vellore House Grotto.
21st July – Shugborough, Staffs, Garden Party
3rd Nov – 10 Commandments Stones, Buckland & Scobitor Round House
1990
4th August – Stowe Gardens – Garden Party
1989
6th August – West Green House, First Annual Garden Party