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Folly? Not at all - it ‘finishes off’ my 7,500-acre estate (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Folly? Not at all - it ‘finishes off’ my 7,500-acre estate
7:00am Thursday 9th July 2009
A millionaire landowner has defied the recession by having an extravagant 65ft folly built on his estate.
The lavish structure is thought to be the tallest folly to be built in Britain in over 100 years.
Owner William Gronow-Davis has spent tens of thousands of pounds on the structure which sits in the grounds of his 7,500 acre Rushmore Estate in Dorset.
By the very definition of a folly, the building is useless and serves no purpose.
But to Mr Gronow-Davis it “finishes off” his garden and adds to the spectacular vista from the drawing room of his mansion home one mile away.
Although the gardens of Rushmore are a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of parts of it are Grade II listed, the hulking structure was given planning permission.
The folly was to originally incorporate five mobile phone masts and was to be funded by O2.
Planners viewed the need for the new aerials outweighed any conservation worries.
But the mobile phone giant pulled out of the deal and Mr Gronow-Davis decided to go ahead with the proposed folly.
The design of the folly is in an Indian Mogul style to reflect the fact Mr Gronow-Davis was born on the sub-continent.
It has five copper domes on the roof that are capable of housing the phone aerials in the future.
Mr Gronow-Davis, a descendent of General Augustus Pitt Rivers, who inherited the estate in the 19th century, said: “It is unusual and looks so beautiful from my house.
“From my drawing room you look out onto the gardens along an avenue of trees and fountains and about a mile away is the folly.
“It is wonderful and just finishes the garden off.”
He added: “I would say that 99 per cent of the feedback I have had has been positive. Natural England has said it enhances the landscape.”
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Your Say YourEcho
boardstiff, Boscombe Spa says...
8:25am Thu 9 Jul 09
DemonDiva wrote:They have used a photograph of the folly. It's just that I don't know what the building behind it is!
A photograph of said folly would have been too much for the Echo to manage?
david barbara, Turlin Moor says...
8:25am Thu 9 Jul 09
Typical of the upper class to have no sense of what is right or wrong.
pebble, bournemouth says...
8:56am Thu 9 Jul 09
david barbara wrote:What do you propose he does with his money then?
How stupid, why not give this waste of money to something worthwhile. Typical of the upper class to have no sense of what is right or wrong.
I like it. Also its his money, he can do what he likes with it. Its in 7500 acres, so its not going to bother anybody, and will probably age quite nicely over the years. I like this odd structures. Most large estates have some sort of monolith or something or other, although theyre usualy dedicated to someone or something from years gone by. Stourhead has a nice monolith to go and see. Get of your sofa and go and explore. This country is covered in beautiful houses, bridges, architecture and things to see. Would you rather non of them existed then?
In Absentia, Bournemouth says...
8:56am Thu 9 Jul 09
Having seen this thing when visiting the Larmer Tree recently it's an inappropriate blot on the landscape that does nothing to enhance the area at all. Let's hope that future generations of his family decide to restore the view of rolling green countryside.
cantique, bournemouth says...
9:45am Thu 9 Jul 09
So a folly is useless and serves no purpose - a bit like many of our MPs then!
leebee, Westerham says...
9:58am Thu 9 Jul 09
Swanage, Swanage says...
10:07am Thu 9 Jul 09
rook, wimborne says...
10:45am Thu 9 Jul 09
I have to disagree with David Barbara and say we all have a right to spend our money how we want. The important thing is that he has spent money which is going into the UK building trade whose employees will spend it, helping to get the economy on the up again.
Laurie H Marsh, brisbane says...
12:28pm Thu 9 Jul 09
This man was born to class!
Unfortunately the "class" was all low!
GB1980, Southbourne says...
1:33pm Thu 9 Jul 09
AKKA, Poole says...
2:03pm Thu 9 Jul 09
divingdave, Southbourne says...
3:59pm Thu 9 Jul 09
You certainly can't buy taste, can you!
Seriously though, this guy can do whatever he likes. It's his money and it's his garden. Stop criticising him - you're only jealous.
miketheplumb, Poole says...
4:04pm Thu 9 Jul 09
Perfect a folly that is built under the classic guidelines.
Bravo.
KLH, bournemouth says...
6:24pm Thu 9 Jul 09
Probably a cast off from one. no - I'm not jealous, if I was going to build a folly it would look more in keeping with other follies in the area, this is more like he's been to a theme park and asked them for it when they'd finished with it.
dopey, says...
6:53pm Thu 9 Jul 09
Inherited wealth from Augustus Pitt Rivers aka Lane Fox. Probably never done a days "work" in his life, but I do admire his taste !
ferret38, bournemouth says...
8:27pm Thu 9 Jul 09
rw, East Dorset says...
10:58pm Thu 9 Jul 09
cooperman, bournemouth says...
5:16am Fri 10 Jul 09
rw wrote:why is everyone so philathropic with other peoples money.
Drives a bus through green belt policy, shame the same bus can't come up with something useful, like houses for the young locals.
yes why didnt he give the money to a charity instead ?.... maybe because he just didnt want to .. because thats the choice he had ... because he'd rather not stare a mile down his drive at a load of young locals in their modern housing ghetto.
and do you know what ... if i was a multi millionaire ,I would also isolate myself and do what I darned well pleased with my money on my country estate and i wouldnt give two hoots about was what happening outside of my boundary any more than they would about me.
dont people just love to direct everyone elses lives !!
rw, East Dorset says...
11:27pm Fri 10 Jul 09
cooperman wrote:You miss the point, its unfortunate that planning policy permits such intrusions into the green belt and not much needed housing,
rw wrote:why is everyone so philathropic with other peoples money.
Drives a bus through green belt policy, shame the same bus can't come up with something useful, like houses for the young locals.
yes why didnt he give the money to a charity instead ?.... maybe because he just didnt want to .. because thats the choice he had ... because he'd rather not stare a mile down his drive at a load of young locals in their modern housing ghetto.
and do you know what ... if i was a multi millionaire ,I would also isolate myself and do what I darned well pleased with my money on my country estate and i wouldnt give two hoots about was what happening outside of my boundary any more than they would about me.
dont people just love to direct everyone elses lives !!
William Gronow-Davis and his folly
The folly in all its glory
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DemonDiva, Bournemouth says...
7:49am Thu 9 Jul 09