Dinton Castle

Dinton Castle is an octagonal folly in Dinton featuring circular towers positioned on its east and west sides. The limestone walls display embedded fossils and ammonites collected as decorative elements within the structure.

Sir John Vanhattern constructed this structure in 1769 as a decorative eyecatcher for the Dinton Hall estate. It was designed to display his fossil collection and enhance the visual appearance of the surrounding countryside.

The castle stands near a Saxon burial ground where multiple archaeological discoveries occurred throughout the twentieth century.

The site is now a private residence and can be viewed from outside but sits on private land. Visitors should respect the private property and photograph only from public viewpoints nearby.

After decades of deterioration, the ruin underwent major restoration in 2018 when a Spanish architect converted it into a modern dwelling. The renovation revealed that the underlying structure had remained sound beneath layers of decay and neglect.

Location: Dinton-with-Ford and Upton

GPS coordinates: 51.79730,-0.89150

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:46