W r o x t o n   F o l l i e s

D o v e c o t e  T o w e r

O b e l i s k

W r o x t o n / D r a y t o n E y e c a t c h e r  A r c h

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Wroxton is a quintessential English village set in rural, North Oxfordshire, 3 miles from Banbury. Wroxton Abbey is a 17th century Jacobean mansion, built in ochre Horton stone, with slate-roofed gables and at least twelve chimneys, with 45 bedrooms, a chapel, a great hall and a library. It is built on the foundations of a 13th century Augustinian monastery. It is thought to have been erected in the 1600's, by William Pope.

The Abbey boasts a landscaped garden by Tilleman Bobart, created in 1728. Between 1731-1751, the garden was partly converted into Serpentine style, possibly to the design of Lord North, later to become the Earl of Guildford. This centered upon 2 lakes, these being divided by a cascade and rocaille, and a twisting serpentine river. There is also a routine, Roman Doric Temple, with a classic 4 column portico. A Rotunda, possibly by Sanderson Miller, built around 1750, has long since vanished.

In the twentieth century, a pretty knot garden was also added. Sir Reginald Blomfield remarked, "It is a fine example of a modern, formal garden".

The Abbey is now converted into a Fairleigh Dickinson College, where American students now study, under the British Tutorial System.

The surrounding grounds of the Abbey are comprised of approximately 56 acres of rolling hills, fields and woodlands. And it is in these grounds that a visitor to Wroxton Abbey will discover, if prepared for the mile or so walk, one of the most captivating, of all the Eye catcher arch follies to be seen in England, passing a Dovecote tower, and an Obelisk on their way.

Wroxton Abbey GPS Co-ords...SP414417...441400,241700 GPS postcode OX15 6PX

W R O X T O N   D O V E C O T E   T O W E R

Visitors begin the walk to the follies by taking the public footpath. It begins from Dark Lane, 100 yards up the road from the Abbey's front gates. Passing through a "Kissing gate", one enters a field where the Dovecote Tower stands, built on top of a grassy hilltop.

The Wroxton Dovecote is a somewhat dumpy, octagonal tower in a Gothic style, with battlements. It is sometimes referred to as the Wroxton Castle.

 

Built by Sanderson Miller, a local architect 1716-1780, he was a pioneer of Gothic Revival architecture. He had inherited Radway Grange just a few miles away. Miller is noted as being one of the great folly builders, his many other works include the mock sham castles at Hagley Hall, and at Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire.

Finished in 1745, this little neo-Gothic Dovecote folly tower overlooks the front drive of the Abbey. Mr. Miller constructed it from large bricks of varying sizes in sandstone, the structure rising just a mere 30-35 ft to a viewing platform.

The tower's body has dark, arrow slit windows. Closer inspection of the stone reveals it is decorated with large, but very hesitantly carved quarter foil crosses, perhaps in an orthodox order. It has long, water spouts projecting out from the higher windows, and it is all nicely topped off with a handsome locally wrought weather vane.

The little arched doorway to the building is unfortunately sealed, by a strong modern padlock, it looking very out of place against the probably very creaky, wooden door to the tower. On which there is nailed a very faded plaque, it reads as follows:

THE DOVECOTE SANDERSON MILLER 1745. RESTORED WITH THE HELP OF THE HISTORIC BUILDING COUNCIL, AND MANY LOCAL BENEFACTORS 1879

 

The footpath continues on down the hill keeping the Abbey to the left, to a heavy gate and a lake. The tip of the Obelisk can just be observed at the top of the forthcoming, steep hill.

Dovecote Tower GPS Co-ords...SP415416...441500,241600

 

W r o x t o n   O b e l i s k

After a steep climb up the hill, following the dusty footpath through the field, which when I visited, was teeming with growing wheat, the visitor approaches the Obelisk, built at the summit. From this lofty position, the Wroxton Eye catcher arch can just be made out in the distance, about 0.5 miles away, in a gap between the trees.

The Wroxton Obelisk, I would say at a total guess, it is approximately 40-50ft high. It is square, and tapers off to a pyramid. It was commissioned by Francis North the Earl of Guildford, to commemorate the visit to Wroxton and the Banbury races, by the Prince of Wales, Frederick of Hanover in 1739. It can still be viewed from the Abbey's water gardens below, although the gardens perimeter trees, now having grown up, may obscure it somewhat. However it may just be visible from the distant houses in Banbury, (as seen away in the distance on the horizon in the above photograph), over 1 mile away. The base of the Obelisk is inscribed in Latin.

Loosely translated, it celebrates the Royal visit.

FREDERICUS WALLIAE PRINCEPS OPTIMUS MUNIFICENTISSMUS A SERVO SUO FRANCISCO DOMINO NORTH ET GUILFORD WROXTONIAE HOSPITIO EXCEPTUS IN AMOENITATIS INCREMENTUM ET ADVENTUS SU MEMORIAM OBELISCUM HUNC EXTRUI JUSSIT MEN SE SEPTEMBR MDCCXXXIX

The inscription could be read as follows: "This Obelisk, erected for Francis North of Guildford, is in memorandum of the exceptional hospitality shown to Frederick, the Prince of Wales, most noble, during his stay at Wroxton, September 1739"

While I was preparing myself for the final half a mile stroll up to the Eye catcher, the skies turned black with cloud, and allowed for this very atmospheric photograph of the Obelisk.

 

Wroxton Obelisk GPS Co-ords...SP419412...441900,241200

 

W r o x t o n   E y e c a t c h e r  A r c h

The footpath descends the hill from the Obelisk to a rushing stream where one can take a breather, before the final ascent up the hill to the Eye catcher. It appears to be relatively small in size, although this is certainly not the case. Viewed from this point, the arch is still approximately a quarter of a mile away.

Below: The now distant, Obelisk.

Finally arriving at the summit of the hill, the footpath turns and follows the line of trees, right up to the Eye catcher Folly Arch.

The Wroxton or Drayton Arch, as it is also known, is probably one of the finest eye catcher, or "notable object", follies in England. It is superbly positioned in its clearing amongst, and surrounded by, tall Beech trees. Placed at the summit of a hill, It allows the visitor commanding views back across the fields to the Obelisk and, probably before the trees grew up, a view to the Abbey itself. Such was the nature of Eye catching follies, to be viewed by the landowner from his country abode. Another fine example of this being Heaven's Gate in Hampshire.

This beautiful eye catcher arch is thought to have been the creation or at least the design of, Sanderson Miller, it being built in 1750, although it has been recently attributed to David Hiorn, but being built later, in 1771.

But, as Gwyn Headley explains in his book, "Follies Grottoes and Garden Buildings", "Sanderson Miller's work is very enjoyable close to, Oxfordshire was his country, and he knew the land and its stone." And indeed, this certainly is the case here.

Folly Twins

It is strikingly similar, indeed almost identical to another eye catcher arch named "The Spectacles", built near Moulton in and, curiously not so far away from here, Northamptonshire. The only real difference being their 2 towers are embattled. its connecting arch is virtually identical to Wroxton's. The 2 follies could be related, as the Spectacles were thought to be built mid 18th century, but not by Sanderson Miller, very curious..

The Eye catcher consists of two half round towers in very warm sandstone, rising to a height of perhaps approximately 40 ft, with a delightful, finely castellated arch connecting them. the two towers have blind arrow slit windows, lightly carved in at their front, their flat backs contain a large arched niche with a stone seat, where one could have sat in the afternoon and gazed out over the fields towards distant Banbury. It is thought a very early road may have connected Banbury with Wroxton, passing the arch, so it would have made a convenient point to stop and take a rest.

Heaven's Gate in Hampshire has many unspoiled carvings of its 18th Century visitors names. Perhaps due to its very remote location it is thankfully vandal free. Sadly here, there is evidence of other, 21st century visitors, many leaving their marks on the Wroxton folly arch, as close inspection of the stone reveals. I was hoping to discover some more original 18th century names and dates, but found none. The town of Banbury is fairly close to the arch, less than half a mile, and it appears to be frequently used as a venue for summer night parties, as there is much litter and evidence of bonfires being lit, in front of the folly. The structure is very solid and fairly well protected from the elements, so there is no reason why it should not continue to stand here, alone and remote on top of its hill, for a further 200 years.

Once again the skies began to darken, allowing me another atmospheric photo opportunity.

Below: The front of the arch close up. A very memorable folly to visit. Highly recommended if you have the legs for a good walk! Although it may be closely accessible from a road in Banbury, less than half a mile away. However, approaching the arch from this direction will foregoe the Obelisk and the Gothic Dovecote Tower.

Below: The vista back across the fields from the Drayton Arch to the Wroxton Obelisk, approximately 0.5 miles distant.

 

Drayton / Wroxton Eye catcher Arch GPS Co-ords...SP428410...442800,241000

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