Hartcliff Folly facts for kids
The Hartcliff Folly (also known as Hartcliff Tower) is a tall stone building located about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) southwest of Penistone in South Yorkshire, England. It stands very high up, at 1,175 feet (358 meters) above sea level!
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What is a Folly?
A folly is a special kind of building. It's often built just for fun or to look impressive, rather than for a practical reason like living in. The Hartcliff Folly was built in 1856 by a wealthy man named Henry Richardson. He was a successful linen merchant, which means he made and sold cloth.
Who Built the Folly?
Henry Richardson was a very important person in his community. Besides building the Folly, he also built a large house called Hartcliffe Lodge. He even became the very first Mayor of the area around Barnsley. A Mayor is like the main leader of a town or city.
Why Was It Built?
Even though it's called a folly, meaning it wasn't built for a clear purpose, the Hartcliff Tower has a cool spiral staircase inside. Some people think it was used as a high platform to watch for animals during hunting. Others believe Mr. Richardson might have used it to look out for himself returning home from business trips to Manchester. It was also a way for him to show how successful he was.
Amazing Views from the Tower
From the top of Hartcliff Folly, you can see incredibly far on a clear day! The furthest place you can spot is Hawkstone Park in Shropshire, which is about 60 miles (97 kilometers) away. Imagine seeing that far!
Bringing the Folly Back to Life
Over time, the Folly started to get old and damaged. But in 2002, a kind person named Mr. Jeff Pears, who owns the land where the Folly stands, decided to fix it. He paid for all the repairs himself as a special gift to the people of Penistone.
Since then, the Folly has sometimes been opened to the public. For example, it was open on August 1, 2006, when Penistone was celebrating 'Yorkshire Day'.
