Perrott's Folly

Perrott’s Folly is a 29-metre stone tower built in 1758 by John Perrott on open land in Edgbaston, Birmingham. It stands above rows of houses and office blocks in a quiet residential quarter. The tower has also been called The Monument and The Observatory during its long life. Stories say Perrott wanted a lookout for land surveys, hunting or even to watch his wife’s grave fifteen miles away. From 1884 to 1979 it served as a weather station for the Birmingham and Midland Institute. Later the University of Birmingham ran the observatory until the Geography Department moved to the main campus. The tower’s future was secured in 1984 when the Perrott’s Folly Company formed to restore it and open it to visitors. Grants from English Heritage and Birmingham City Council paid for repairs and stabilisation completed in 2005. In 2008 the tower briefly welcomed the public for an art show with the Ikon Gallery and a weekend honouring J. R. R. Tolkien. Between 2005 and 2017 Trident Housing Association managed the site before Re.Future Collective took over. Today the restored tower is managed by an arts and architecture group. Inside, visitors find a simple interior with narrow stone stairs winding up to the top. From the platform there are wide views across Birmingham’s rooftops and distant hills. The surrounding Edgbaston area mixes Victorian villas with modern office blocks, giving a sense of the tower’s long place in the city’s life.