The Folly

You'll find this Victorian oddity standing alone in Greater London - a proper architectural statement from an era when the wealthy built things just because they could. The Folly is exactly what its name suggests: a structure built for ornament rather than function, a whimsical gesture frozen in brick and stone.

What strikes you first is how incongruous it feels in its surroundings. Whether you're approaching from the street or spotting it from a distance, there's something almost defiant about its presence. The tower dominates the immediate area, and once you're up close, you realise the craftsmanship that went into something fundamentally impractical. You can walk around it, study the details, and genuinely wonder what the original owner was thinking.

Historically minded visitors will get the most from a visit here - it's not a place for lengthy entertainment, but rather a stop that rewards curiosity. You'll need perhaps thirty minutes to explore properly, take some photographs, and absorb the eccentricity of Victorian-era landowners with money to burn. It works well as part of a broader London ramble rather than a destination in itself.

If you're basing yourself at Lovat Parks just a few miles away, The Folly makes a curious afternoon diversion. It's free to view from the outside and easily accessible, though opening hours for any interior access aren't clear from a distance. Worth the detour if you're nearby and fancy something genuinely unusual.