Folly

Henry Howard, later 6th Duke of Norfolk, commissioned the diarist and landscape gardener, John Evelyn to lay the gardens of Albury Park. His legacy remains to be seen today although the gardens are not open to the public. There are still magnificent Oak, London Plane and Sweet Chestnut trees which have survived from the original plantings between 1655 and 1677.

A quarter mile terrace was built with a fountain at it's centre that was inspired by the Posillipo cave, by Naples, where a 70o meter tunnel runs under the Posillipo Hill, leading to the Phlegrean Fields and the town of Pozzuoli.

John Evelyn didn't stop at recreating the cave entrance but had a 160 yard tunnel dug out to run under the hill behind the terrace. There are leaks in places where the roots of trees now penetrate the roof of the tunnel but the water runs straight through the sand on the floor leaving no trace other than a few small pits and damp.

Despite the passing of 300+ years, not many know of the tunnels existence so it has been vandalised very little and only a few names have been gouged into the sandy walls. It's a really remarkable feature... a true folly with no function other than landscaping.