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Looking down over the beautiful city of Bath is to be found this glorious folly. It can be seen from various parts of the city, sitting high on the eastern skyline amongst some trees, located now on the edge of a golf club.
It is known locally as Ralph Allen's Sham Castle, taking its name from Bath's 18th century entrepreneur Ralph Allen, and was originally situated so as to be seen from his town house.


Entrepreneur:
Ralph Allen was a remarkable man, who rose to prominence by becoming Postmaster of Bath, when only 19 years old. He originated from Cornwall (St. Colomb Major) and is thought to have moved to Bath in the early 1700's, initially taking a job as a clerk at the city's Post Office. He rose up to the prestigious job of postmaster very quickly, and then he was involved in re-organising the postal system itself, saving a considerable amount of money for the fledging postal service of the time. At the same time he was also a shrewd businessman, investing the money that he had been paid for his innovative ideas for the postal service, in land, some of which included the Coombe Down area.


Stone Quarries:
Bath at this time was undergoing great change and the basic commodity of which Bath is built, that beautiful creamy coloured stone, was to be found in great abundance in the above mentioned Coombe Down.
The fortune that he subsequently made is to be seen in the mansion at Prior Park that he had built, of which the gardens, complete with a beautiful Palladian Bridge are open to the public. Some of the landscaping was done by Capability Brown, with some input also from Alexander Pope.
The mansion itself though has now become a private educational college, and is not open for public viewing.

Allen was also a benevolent man appearing to do a great deal for the city, which incidentally he was to become the Mayor, on several occasions.


The Castle:
The 'castle' - which was built in 1762 by Richard Jones [he also had a hand in Prior Park] - whilst looking rather grand from its intended viewpoint of the front, has, like a lot of these things, a rather plain untidy rear. If only more attention had been paid to the back of structure, as to me at any rate, it looks rather like the scenary of a film set [since writing this I have also found a notable book on follies also uses the same comparison to a film set ].
Form your own opinion when you compare the above image with that of the rear.  


Bath Stone Related Link:
For many interesting details about how stone was mined and pictures of these old mines have a look at this site.  

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See Page 2 for Rear view and the plaque   

Visiting:-
The folly is located by the side of the greens at Bath Golf Club at the top of a private road. Either park in the golf club park in you feel bold, or park in the public road at the bottom and walk up the hill to the golf club.

Co-Ords: 376610 164860 / ST 766648  

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