Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Parkside Plum Juice
Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Muxima
The temple and the tree at the square.
The Historical Center of Pune
Dishes at Aksorn are grounded in deep historical research.
Aksorn
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Northamptonshire Rushton Triangular Lodge

Rushton Triangular Lodge

An intriguing three-sided folly is a testament to one man's devotion to Catholicism and the number three.

Northamptonshire, England

Added By
Clinton
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rus...
  http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rus...
  http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rus...
  http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rus...
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Constructed between 1593 and 1597, the Triangle Lodge was designed by Sir Thomas Tresham.

Built as a monument to his Roman Catholic beliefs, Tresham revered the number three, representing the Holy Trinity, which is evident in the layout of the Lodge. Comprised of three floors, including the basement, three sides each 33 feet long, and three windows on each side for each floor. On every side of the building is a different Latin text from the Bible, each 33 letters long. The inscriptions are as followed:

-Aperiatur terra & germinet Salvatorem: "Let the earth open and … bring forth salvation" (Isaiah 45:8)

-Quis separabit nos a charitate Christi?: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" (Romans 8:35)

-Consideravi opera tua, Domine, et expavi : "I have contemplated thy works, O Lord, and was afraid" (Habakkuk 3:2)

Each floor of this folly is comprised mainly of a hexagonal room, which leaves three triangles in each corner. In one of these corners is a spiral staircase, the other two are small rooms. Atop each wall sits three gargoyles, and above them are three pointed gables. Cast in the stone of the outer two gables of each of the walls is a symbol of importance. Among the emblems are the Seven-branched Candelabrum, the Seven Eyes of God, a Hen and Chickens, a Dove and Serpent, the Hand of God touching a globe, and a Pelican in her Piety.

A broken inscription across the three middle gables, which are actually sundials, reads: Respicite, Non Mihi Soli Laboravi, "Mark ye, not for myself alone have I toiled." Atop the three gables on each side is a three-sided obelisk, reaching toward the sky. The obelisk, too, has symbols adorning each side, including the Christogram "IHS", Iesus Hominum Salvator ("Jesus, Savior of men" in Latin), a lamb and cross, and a chalice.

The building facade is covered in seemingly random numbers, Tresham's initials, and a multitude of heraldic shields and crests. The trefoil, or three-leafed clover, features prominently on the building, this is because the trefoil is the main symbol of the Tresham family crest. Each of the windows on the second floor are trefoils with triangular panes within. Above the entrance is the number 5555, though the numbers' appearance is odd, leaving some historians to speculate that it once read 3333.

Above the door, but underneath the Tresham coat of arms lies the inscription: Tres testimonium dant, "The number three bears witness." Some think that the inscription could mean "Tresham bears witness," considering "Tres" was the pet name given to him by his wife. Successfully nestled away in the countryside to prevent discovery by Protestant authorities, the Triangular Lodge survived the period of persecution of English Catholics.

Related Tags

Follies Architectural Oddities Sacred Spaces Follies And Grottoes Architecture

Know Before You Go

1 mile West of Rushton, on unclassified road; 3 miles from Desboroughon A6

Community Contributors

Added By

Clinton

Published

January 26, 2010

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rushton_Triangular_Lodge
  • http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.11900
  • The Book of Sun-Dials Collected by Mrs. Alfred Gatty, By H. K. F. Gatty
  • http://everything2.com/node/1241850
Rushton Triangular Lodge
NN14 1RP
Northamptonshire, England, NN14 1RG
United Kingdom
52.439636, -0.777798
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Rothwell Bone Crypt

Rothwell, England

miles away

Lampy the Garden Gnome

Loddington, England

miles away

The Old Grammar School

Market Harborough, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire

England

Places 4

Nearby Places

Rothwell Bone Crypt

Rothwell, England

miles away

Lampy the Garden Gnome

Loddington, England

miles away

The Old Grammar School

Market Harborough, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire

England

Places 4

Related Places

  • The elaborate top of the tower.

    Halifax, England

    Wainhouse Tower

    This tallest folly in the world began its life as an elaborate factory chimney.

  • Iulia Hasdeu Castle.

    Câmpina, Romania

    Iulia Hasdeu Castle

    This eccentric folly house was designed by Romanian thinker Bogdan-Petriceicu Hasdeu, with a helping hand from his deceased daughter's spirit.

  • Ruins of a Victorian folly in Sydenham Hill Woods, London, UK. (Mark Bowler/Atlas Obscura)

    London, England

    Ruined Victorian Folly

    Remnants of a Victorian garden feature sitting in public woodland.

  • Moundsville, West Virginia

    New Vrindaban Palace of Gold

    Despite its lavish ornamentation, and wholesome lifestyle of its devotees, this mountain commune has faced its share of issues.

  • Turkish Tent, Painshill Park.

    Cobham, England

    Painshill Park Follies

    Amazing collection of folly buildings in Cobham, Surrey.

  • What appears to be an ancient Greek ruin is, in fact, a colossal mess.

    Edinburgh, Scotland

    National Monument of Scotland

    A never-finished memorial to the heroes of the Napoleonic War has become "Scotland's Folly."

  • Ascoli Piceno, Italy

    Basilica di San Frances Musical Pillars

    These pillars at the main entrance of this church are actually a hidden musical instrument.

  • Tattingstone Wonder.

    Tattingstone, England

    Tattingstone Wonder

    An 18th-century estate owner thought these cottages were an eyesore, so he artfully disguised them as a church.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.