Welcome to Bromley Palace Park and it’s historic features! This location is the second stop on the heritage and biodiversity trail around the historic parks in Bromley Town Centre.
When Mr Charles Coles Esq bought the rights and titles of the Lord of the Manor of Bromley, he commissioned James Pulham & Sons to create some of their installations in the park. It was very fashionable to have a Folly in your park or estate, and this one was placed next to the entrance, so anyone coming in from the south would not miss it.
One of these was this Folly, which included a genuine medieval arch and pillar, found when dredging the Moat.
The folly is decorated with a figure in a shield, thought to be St Blaise, whose well is at stop 1 of the trail. He has his shepherd’s crook, a faithful dog, and is wearing a shepherd’s smock, so this is possible.
St Blaise was bishop of a city that is now located in modern day Turkey, so had no local connection. However, he was a popular saint in Bromley and Kent, as he is associated with wool combing. His saints day is the 3rd February.
Unfortunately, when Historic England required the council to remove the very overgrown ivy from the Folly, the head of the saint was lost.
The whole of the Bromley Town Park Heritage and Biodiversity trail can be found here.
The Folly also has its own entry here in Bromley Civic Society’s page on this park,
To continue the Bromley Town Parks Heritage Trail, turn right, go uphill on Rafford Way, and behind the brick wall you can cross the Bypass via a bridge or at street level. On the other side is Queens Gardens, where the next stop is.
Browse our old photos, in 
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