A TOWER with a difference in south Shropshire is opening up to give more visitors the opportunity to see it and to get a spectacular view.

Flounders’ Folly, the landmark tower near Craven Arms, has added a raft of extra opening dates to its calendar.

The Folly will be open as part of the national Heritage Open Days festival on September 8, 9, 13 and September 15, from 11am to 2pm each day. It will also be open as usual on the last Sunday of September, the 30th, from 11am to 4pm.

Because of its high and isolated position, the opening days and times are subject to suitable weather conditions. The St George’s flag will be flown from the top of the tower to signify that it is open.

Recently, around 700 walkers on the 2018 MagnaLonga walk made the folly a stopover point, with a good number of them taking the opportunity to walk up the tower to see the views.

It is an impressive 80ft tall structure and this means that on a clear day the views over the surrounding countryside including the south Shropshire hills are very spectacular.

The folly fell into disrepair although there were a number of attempts at restoration one of which was in the 1930’s. However, this impressive structure reached what could be called a low point during the Second World War when lead was removed from the roof probably for use in the manufacture of munitions.

The original platform collapsed in the 1980s. But light appeared at the end of the tunnel in 2001 when the structure and the freehold were purchased by the Flounders Folly Trust. A bid was made for Heritage Lottery Funding and this enabled restoration to begin.