Folly Flannery

FOLLY FLANNERY - Nov 2025 - Edn 3: Issue 4

WELCOME to another installment of FOLLY FLANNERY - for the stories about our Fabulous Follies - the Hill & the Tower - and of course the wonderful woodland that binds them .
When moonlight crowned our Folly Hill,
The Folly Tower stood proud and still,
Yet soon its stones with laughter rang,
As fairies danced and hobbits sang.
Elves with lanterns, dwarves with cheer,
Festive townsfolk all drew near,
All festooned in lights that gleamed,
Sylph-like hosts from legends dreamed .....
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FOLLY FLANNERY - Oct 2025 - Edn 3: Issue 3

WELCOME to another installment of FOLLY FLANNERY - for the stories about our Fabulous Follies - the Hill & the Tower - and of course the wonderful woodland that binds them .
A hobbit with lantern in hand
Climbed Folly Hill, proud and grand.
At the tower he spun, With the fairylights on,
And declared it the glowiest land!
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FOLLY FLANNERY - Sept 2025 - Edn 3: Issue 2

WELCOME to another installment of FOLLY FLANNERY - for the stories about our Fabulous Follies - the Hill & the Tower - and of course the wonderful woodland that binds them .
Lord Berners was one of life’s great flannellers…..
A flannel-clad Lord from the shire,
Spoke nonsense that folks would admire.
Though none understood, They all said, “He’s good!”
Then bought him a pint by the fire.
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FOLLY FLANNERY - June 2025 - Edn 3: Issue 1

WELCOME to another installment of FOLLY FLANNERY - for the stories about our Fabulous Follies - the Hill & the Tower - and of course the wonderful woodland that binds them .

In one of his poems, Kipling refers to cricketers as “flannelled fools at the wicket” . Thinking whimsically, how might he have described visitors to our beloved Folly? How about: “Lo! The dawdling daft on the folly’s crown, Gaping at clouds like Lords out of town.” . Maybe….
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FOLLY FLANNERY - Sept 2024 - Edn 2: Issue 5

WELCOME to another installment of FOLLY FLANNERY - for the stories about our Fabulous Follies - the Hill & the Tower - and of course the wonderful woodland that binds them . Flannelling is a comfortable soft weave of cotton typically used for pyjamas. But - as you’ve probably guessed - in the context of the Folly Flannery we’re mostly referring to the act of enjoyable waffling, while sitting around in our flannelling pyjamas perhaps.
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FOLLY FLANNERY - June 2024 - Edn 2: Issue 4

WELCOME to another instalment of FOLLY FLANNERY - for the stories about our Fabulous Follies - the Hill & the Tower - and of course the wonderful woodland that binds them . And what kind of word is THAT?? Flannery… Well, it sounds like flannelly - suggesting warm & cuddly. It also sounds like flattery. Very appropriate, when you’re singing the praises of our iconic landmarks - don’t you agree?
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FOLLY FLANNERY - May 2024 - Edn 2: Issue 3

WELCOME to another instalment of FOLLY FLANNERY - for the stories about our Fabulous Follies - the Hill & the Tower - and of course the wonderful woodland that binds them . And - is it really true that the A420 gets its name from the sing-a-song-of-sixpence nursery rhyme that lampoons Faringdon’s Poet Laureate Henry James Pye? Yes - apparently so. Four & twenty blackbirds & all that. We have it on good authority.
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FOLLY FLANNERY - April 2024 - Edn 2: Issue 2

WELCOME to another instalment of FOLLY FLANNERY - for the stories about our Fabulous Follies - the Hill & the Tower - and of course the wonderful woodland that binds them . Did you know that “Flanner” was a relatively common occupational English surname (of French origin) in the 12th century: for makers of patisserie and pancakes (as in flanmakers)? The French equivalent (Flaneau) is still used.
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FOLLY FLANNERY - March 2024 - Edn 2: Issue 1

WELCOME to another instalment of FOLLY FLANNERY - for the stories about our Fabulous Follies - the Hill & the Tower - and of course the wonderful woodland that binds them . Yes - you’re right. That’s Tolkien - almost.
And while we’re on the subject of Tolkien, Felicity Flannery was one of Frodo’s friends that Tolkien didn’t talk about, because she was mad as a sack of hobbits. Her friends simply called her Folly. Folly Flannery. Well I never!

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FOLLY FLANNERY - Nov 2023 - Edn 1: Issue 2

WELCOME to another instalment of FOLLY FLANNERY - for the stories about our Fabulous Follies - the Hill & the Tower - and of course the wonderful woodland that binds them! And here’s an interesting holistic link that Douglas Adams would have approved of. The Irishman Vincent Flannery (yes - it IS a surname, derived from the gaelic, linked to having red hair - not quite pink - but close enough) is the author of the book “FOLLY “ (nothing to do with buildings) - described on amazon (by the author himself) as “crazy slapstick nonsense” . Seriously? We’re going to have to invite him over.

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FOLLY FLANNERY - Sept 2023 - Edn 1: Issue 1

WELCOME to the first issue of FOLLY FLANNERY  - for the stories about our fabulous duo of Faringdon Follies - the Hill & the Tower - and of course the wonderful woodland that binds them! Some of the stories are even true. But hang on… is Flannery  even a word? Well - it is now.
And it’s a good word - don’t you think? The french homonym flânerie  translates as aimless rambling. In fact, there is plagiarisation precedent here. We have another writer who aimlessly rambles on about follies :   The Folly Flâneuse    . Do check it out! And if you search for “Faringdon” on the Flâneuse website, then you’ll also find a glorious tribute to OUR FARINGDON FOLLY .
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