Wimpole's Folly

Wimpole's Folly is a Gothic tower on the Wimpole Estate featuring four storeys and medieval-style architectural details. The building stands as part of the landscape design and has been restored to preserve its original character.

Sanderson Miller designed the tower in 1749 for Lord Hardwicke, while Capability Brown oversaw its construction from 1768 to 1772. The project was part of a broader redesign of the estate following contemporary garden design principles.

This building reflects an 18th-century fashion among English landowners who built decorative ruins to enhance their estates visually. These structures were designed to draw the eye across gardens and create romantic moods in the landscape.

The National Trust manages the estate and visitors can explore the grounds and view the restored Gothic structure. Access is typically on foot across the parkland, which also features other points of interest throughout the site.

The restoration project received the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage and a Europa Nostra Award in 2016 for its conservation work. This international recognition highlights the careful attention given to returning the structure to its historical condition.