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18th century observatory and Tolkien's tower at Minas Tirith? - history and mystery in one! | ||||||||
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History of Perrott's Folly Rotton Park, a large enclosed area of heath and woodland, had been used as hunting grounds by the lords of Birmingham for three centuries by the time ownership passed to the Perrotts of Belbroughton in 1628. John Perrott inherited the estate in 1737 and lived in a large lodge in the park, located where the Karis Medical Centre is now. In 1758 he built, adjacent to the lodge, the tower we now know as Perrott’s Folly. There are many fanciful stories about why the tower was built, but it is thought that its main purpose was as an observatory, a place where he could entertain friends in unusual surroundings and observe the countryside. Building such strange structures was a common pastime for eighteenth century landowners. In 1851 the Rotton Park Estate was bought by the millionaire pen-maker Joseph Gillott. Then in 1884 the Birmingham & Midland Institute leased the tower so that leading meteorologist A. Follett Osler could set up one of the world’s first weather recording and forecasting centres. The BMI bought the freehold outright in 1914. The University of Birmingham took over responsibility for running the centre in 1966 and continued until 1979. The tower was put up for sale by the BMI and in 1984 the Perrott’s Folly Company, now a registered charity, was formed to purchase and restore the Folly so that it could be opened up to the public. Perrott’s Folly is a listed building-Grade II * Text by Ian Cox, Secretary, Perrott's Folly Company, with editing and additions by Stuart Williams. Photography, digital imaging and web design by Stuart Williams. Contents of this site are copyright 2004. No reproduction without permission.
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The Appeal | ||||
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