Barons Folly

About Barons Folly

Described as a summerhouse on John Ainslie´s 'Map of the Southern Part of Scotland´ of 1821 The Baron's folly is visible from several miles in every direction and is an important feature in the landscape. Local stories say it was where Sir John Rutherford of Edgerston would meet young ladies, another is it was where he would sit and keep an eye on his workers.

In 1769 Rutherford became Consul for the Russian fleet in the Mediterranean and in October 1777 Catherine the Great made him a Baron of the Russian Empire. Rutherford returned home in 1779 and purchased the 1,400-acre estate of Fairnington.

Prominently situated on summit of Down Law within the Fairnington estate it is an octagonal summerhouse and observatory, it has Gothic pointed window openings on three sides with a Welsh slate roof.