Sham Castle

Sham Castle is a stone folly standing on a hillside and designed with a Gothic front featuring three towers and decorative battlements. The structure combines theatrical style with practical simplicity, as it consists mainly of a facade rather than interior rooms.

Ralph Allen commissioned architect Sanderson Miller to build the structure in 1762 to enhance views from his townhouse in Bath. This folly arose during a period when ornamental structures of this type were popular among wealthy English landowners.

The building shows how wealthy landowners in the 18th century created artificial ruins to make their estates look more interesting. Such structures were fashionable among people who wanted to add imaginative touches to their landscape gardens.

A marked path from North Road in Bathampton leads to the folly, and the exterior is freely accessible year-round. Daytime visits work best for seeing the architectural details and enjoying views of the surrounding landscape.

The folly is actually only a facade with no interior rooms, making it fundamentally different from real castles. This optical illusion works especially well when viewed from particular angles around the hillside.

Location: Bathampton

GPS coordinates: 51.38250,-2.33750

Latest update: December 14, 2025 16:44