Sussex follies made famous at Paradise Park exhibition

A family-run attraction in Newhaven is opening Jack’s Corner, a garden containing models of four of Jack Fuller’s most famous follies.

Exiting models at Paradise Park have been painstakingly restored, with two addition pieces specially create by the in-house team who have endured hours of hand painting by onsite artist Alisha Berry.

Head gardener at the Avis Road attraction, Simon Croucher, led the project. “Jack Fuller was a wealthy Sussex eccentric, who never travelled without four horses, a coachman, a footman and a man inside his carriage armed with a sword and two pistols. He spent 11 years as a MP and also built many weird and wonderful buildings that remain to this day in Sussex, and it seemed fitting to honour him by collecting his works together in one place.”

One of the most interesting pieces is Fuller’s place of rest: “Mr Fuller is buried in a pyramid shaped tomb in Brightling churchyard where legend has it he is sat upright fully dressed holding a pipe and a glass of wine”, adds Simon.

The opening of the new garden is part of the major investment and improvement underway at Paradise Park. Site director Darren Clift is spearheading the overhaul and says that this particular project has a place in his heart.

“My late grandfather, John Tate, who was instrumental in bringing Paradise Park gardens to life in the early 1990s had a real interest in Jack Fuller. So, for me, this corner of our site is a tribute to both men, and I hope that everyone can come and enjoy learning a bit about one of Sussex’s most interesting characters.”