Homes & Antiques

Tom's comments on follies have been included in the July issue of Homes & Antiques.

"Landscapes of fancy" explores the charm and whimsy of follies, as well as their architectural finesse.

Tom comments: "Follies are best understood as architecture within the landscape rather than architecture to be occupied or that might be considered 'useful' in modern day terms. In the great romantic landscapes of the eighteenth century, at places such as Petworth or Stowe, shaped by the inimitable landscape architect Capability Brown, follies were carefully positioned to enrich the experience of the landscape itself. They were designed less as destinations and more as compositional devices: objects to be seen across water, framed by trees or encountered unexpectedly along a walk. In that sense, they heighten our awareness of a particular place. While rarely practical in a conventional sense, they serve a powerful purpose - that is to spark imagination, create narrative and transform scenery into something poetic and emotionally resonant."