26-506: 53°42′45″N 1°52′57″W / 53.7125°N 1.8825°W / 53.7125; -1.8825 Wainhouse Tower is a folly in the parish of King Cross , on the south-west side of Halifax , Calderdale , West Yorkshire , in England. At 275 feet (84 m), it is the tallest structure in Calderdale and the tallest folly in the world, and was erected between 1871 and 1875. The main shaft
52-707: A folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but suggesting through its appearance some other purpose, or of such extravagant appearance that it transcends the range of usual garden buildings. Eighteenth-century English landscape gardening and French landscape gardening often featured mock Roman temples , symbolising classical virtues. Other 18th-century garden follies imitated Chinese temples , Egyptian pyramids , ruined medieval castles or abbeys , or Tatar tents, to represent different continents or historical eras. Sometimes they represented rustic villages, mills and cottages, to symbolise rural virtues. Many follies, particularly during times of famine, such as
78-413: A dispute and was replaced by another local architect, Richard Swarbrick Dugdale, who is responsible for the elaborate galleries and the corona dome at the top. The tower was completed on 9 September 1875, at a cost of £14,000 (equivalent to £1,700,000 in 2023). In 1918, an appeal was started to raise money to purchase the tower for the local community, with a target of £1,000. In 2006, Wainhouse Tower
104-478: A general term, "folly" is usually applied to a small building that appears to have no practical purpose or the purpose of which appears less important than its striking and unusual design, but the term is ultimately subjective, so a precise definition is not possible. The concept of the folly is subjective and it has been suggested that the definition of a folly "lies in the eyes of the beholder". Typical characteristics include: Follies began as decorative accents on
130-478: A general term, "folly" is usually applied to a small building that appears to have no practical purpose or the purpose of which appears less important than its striking and unusual design, but the term is ultimately subjective, so a precise definition is not possible. The concept of the folly is subjective and it has been suggested that the definition of a folly "lies in the eyes of the beholder". Typical characteristics include: Follies began as decorative accents on
156-476: A use which was lost later, such as hunting towers. Follies are misunderstood structures, according to The Folly Fellowship , a charity that exists to celebrate the history and splendour of these often neglected buildings. Follies ( French : fabriques ) were an important feature of the English garden and French landscape garden in the 18th century, such as Stowe and Stourhead in England and Ermenonville and
182-427: A use which was lost later, such as hunting towers. Follies are misunderstood structures, according to The Folly Fellowship , a charity that exists to celebrate the history and splendour of these often neglected buildings. Follies ( French : fabriques ) were an important feature of the English garden and French landscape garden in the 18th century, such as Stowe and Stourhead in England and Ermenonville and
208-537: Is octagonal in shape and has a square base and 369 steps leading to the first of two viewing platforms which is open to the public, and a total of 405 to the top viewing platform which is usually closed to the public. The tower is open to the public during bank holidays , and is a Grade II* listed building . One driving force behind the erection of the viewing platforms was a long-standing feud between landowning neighbours John Edward Wainhouse (1817–1883) and Sir Henry Edwards (1812–1886). Edwards had boasted that he had
234-471: Is in accord with the general meaning of the French word folie ; however, another older meaning of this word is "delight" or "favourite abode". This sense included conventional, practical buildings that were thought unduly large or expensive, such as Beckford's Folly , an extremely expensive early Gothic Revival country house that collapsed under the weight of its tower in 1825, 12 years after completion. As
260-422: Is in accord with the general meaning of the French word folie ; however, another older meaning of this word is "delight" or "favourite abode". This sense included conventional, practical buildings that were thought unduly large or expensive, such as Beckford's Folly , an extremely expensive early Gothic Revival country house that collapsed under the weight of its tower in 1825, 12 years after completion. As
286-618: The Great Famine in Ireland, were built as a form of poor relief , to provide employment for peasants and unemployed artisans. In English, the term began as "a popular name for any costly structure considered to have shown folly in the builder", the Oxford English Dictionary 's definition. Follies are often named after the individual who commissioned or designed the project. The connotations of silliness or madness in this definition
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#1732858916466312-448: The Great Famine in Ireland, were built as a form of poor relief , to provide employment for peasants and unemployed artisans. In English, the term began as "a popular name for any costly structure considered to have shown folly in the builder", the Oxford English Dictionary 's definition. Follies are often named after the individual who commissioned or designed the project. The connotations of silliness or madness in this definition
338-522: The Smoke Abatement Act 1870 which required a tall chimney to carry smoke out of the valleys in which the factories were built. A much simpler chimney would have satisfied the requirements but Wainhouse insisted that it should be an object of beauty. In 1874, John Wainhouse sold the mill to his works manager, who refused to pay the cost of the chimney's construction, so Wainhouse kept the tower for himself and used it as an observatory. Booth left after
364-503: The gardens of Versailles in France. They were usually in the form of Roman temples, ruined Gothic abbeys, or Egyptian pyramids. Painshill Park in Surrey contained almost a full set, with a large Gothic tower and various other Gothic buildings, a Roman temple, a hermit's retreat with resident hermit , a Turkish tent, a shell-encrusted water grotto and other features. In France they sometimes took
390-406: The gardens of Versailles in France. They were usually in the form of Roman temples, ruined Gothic abbeys, or Egyptian pyramids. Painshill Park in Surrey contained almost a full set, with a large Gothic tower and various other Gothic buildings, a Roman temple, a hermit's retreat with resident hermit , a Turkish tent, a shell-encrusted water grotto and other features. In France they sometimes took
416-511: The form of romantic farmhouses, mills and cottages, as in Marie Antoinette 's Hameau de la Reine at Versailles. Sometimes they were copied from landscape paintings by painters such as Claude Lorrain and Hubert Robert . Often, they had symbolic importance, illustrating the virtues of ancient Rome, or the virtues of country life. The temple of philosophy at Ermenonville, left unfinished, symbolised that knowledge would never be complete, while
442-453: The form of romantic farmhouses, mills and cottages, as in Marie Antoinette 's Hameau de la Reine at Versailles. Sometimes they were copied from landscape paintings by painters such as Claude Lorrain and Hubert Robert . Often, they had symbolic importance, illustrating the virtues of ancient Rome, or the virtues of country life. The temple of philosophy at Ermenonville, left unfinished, symbolised that knowledge would never be complete, while
468-555: The general public on 4 May 2009. The restoration cost was £400,000. In 2011, the Huffington Post included the tower in its list of the "Top 10 Pieces of Folly Architecture", and The Telegraph included the tower on their top 15 list of "Britain's Best Architectural Follies". Folly In architecture , a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but suggesting through its appearance some other purpose, or of such extravagant appearance that it transcends
494-482: The great estates of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, but they flourished especially in the two centuries which followed. Many estates had ruins of monastic houses and (in Italy) Roman villas; others, lacking such buildings, constructed their own sham versions of these romantic structures. However, very few follies are completely without a practical purpose. Apart from their decorative aspect, many originally had
520-427: The great estates of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, but they flourished especially in the two centuries which followed. Many estates had ruins of monastic houses and (in Italy) Roman villas; others, lacking such buildings, constructed their own sham versions of these romantic structures. However, very few follies are completely without a practical purpose. Apart from their decorative aspect, many originally had
546-509: The most private estate in Halifax, Pye Nest (demolished 1925-30), into which no one could see. As the estate was on land adjacent to the chimney's site, following the opening of the viewing platforms, Edwards could never claim privacy again. The tower was designed by architect Isaac Booth as a chimney to serve the Washer Lane dye works owned by Wainhouse. The height of the chimney was to satisfy
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#1732858916466572-480: The needy for work on useful projects would deprive existing workers of their jobs. Thus, construction projects termed "famine follies" came to be built. These included roads in the middle of nowhere, between two seemingly random points, screen and estate walls, piers in the middle of bogs, etc. Follies are found worldwide, but they are particularly abundant in Great Britain . folly#Noun In architecture ,
598-532: The range of usual garden buildings. Eighteenth-century English landscape gardening and French landscape gardening often featured mock Roman temples , symbolising classical virtues. Other 18th-century garden follies imitated Chinese temples , Egyptian pyramids , ruined medieval castles or abbeys , or Tatar tents, to represent different continents or historical eras. Sometimes they represented rustic villages, mills and cottages, to symbolise rural virtues. Many follies, particularly during times of famine, such as
624-452: The temple of modern virtues at Stowe was deliberately ruined, to show the decay of contemporary morals. Later in the 18th century, the follies became more exotic, representing other parts of the world, including Chinese pagodas , Japanese bridges, and Tatar tents. The Great Famine of Ireland of 1845–1849 led to the building of several follies in order to provide relief to the poor without issuing unconditional handouts. However, to hire
650-452: The temple of modern virtues at Stowe was deliberately ruined, to show the decay of contemporary morals. Later in the 18th century, the follies became more exotic, representing other parts of the world, including Chinese pagodas , Japanese bridges, and Tatar tents. The Great Famine of Ireland of 1845–1849 led to the building of several follies in order to provide relief to the poor without issuing unconditional handouts. However, to hire
676-455: Was closed because of safety problems. Work to repair it began in July 2008 and took about five months. During the restoration, the top section of the tower was partly dismantled and rebuilt, decorative sections and part of the main shaft were repointed, missing stone finials replaced, the drainage system improved, corroded ironwork replaced and cracks at the base of the tower fixed. The tower reopened to
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