Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
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 »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
2 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
3 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
4 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
5 days ago

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 Wales Pembrokeshire Folly Farm

Folly Farm

Go back 50 years with a turn on one of the park's carefully restored vintage fairground rides.

Pembrokeshire, Wales

Added By
Alan Newman
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The vintage Speedway.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
The vintage Speedway.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
A railroad ride.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
One of the authentic sideshows.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
1950 Supercar dodgem ride.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Flying chairs.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
The smaller of 2 classic Walzers.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Folly Farm’s vintage rides.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Folly Farm’s vintage rides.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
The Caterpillar.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Austin Car ride, converted from a 1961 Driving School.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
The Laklin Skid from the flying chairs.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Primative gambling machines typical of a 1950s traveling fair.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Vintage sideshow stall.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Coin-operated children’s ride featuring 1950s TV character.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Coin-operated mechanical crane game.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
1960s coin-operated, electromechanical shooting game.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
A ride from 1950s.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
1970 American-built Twister.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Information about the Caterpillar.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Caterpillar cover mechanism.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
The Skid in motion.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Information board.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Another view of the Cakewalk.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
1960s ghost train.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
1922 Galloper.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Cake Walk ride detail.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire, Wales, is a zoo and amusement park mostly geared toward entertaining young children. It also contains a hidden gem: a nostalgic collection of vintage fairground rides which are a delight.

The selection is housed indoors and traces the particularly British version of the history of these rides, with vintage machines and sideshows beginning from the turn of the 20th century all the way to the 1970s. They're all examples of rides which, at one time, were taken on the road. Some also had more permanent homes, including some which were installed in the 1951 Festival of Britain Pleasure Garden at Battersea (this actually stayed open until the 1970s). Even those who are not interested in the engineering, which made the best use of the materials available at the time, will surely be impressed by the original artwork which has been beautifully restored. Each ride is accompanied by an information board that gives details of its manufacture and history of ownership and location.

Included in the park is a 1922 Galloper, classic Flying Chair and Speedway rides, two Waltzers, a 1960s ghost train, a ride based on 1950s British TV puppet Muffin the Mule, and an imported 1970s American built Twister.

One of the most important machines is the Caterpillar which started life in 1950 as an experimental ride called Toboggan but was quickly converted to the current format by adding the mechanism to cover the riders, plunging them into darkness. This example was the last Caterpillar to tour widely in the U.K.  Another notable ride is the Skid, by the Lakin company, which was built in 1936 and is one of the best remaining working examples of this type of ride, also known as the Swish or the Swirl.

There is also a classic kid's ride called the Austin Car ride, which is a very truncated version of a Driving School ride from the 1960s. The Folly Farm example of the Dodgem Cars is a 1950 model built by the famous British manufacturer Supercar. 

In the UK, low stakes gambling machines have always been a feature of traveling fairs. There is a collection of such machines from the 1940s through to the 1960s including both "one armed bandits" and a range of very primitive ones which involve firing a ball through a spiral track in an attempt to hit various winning targets. There is also an old Try Your Strength machine and a collection of old coin operated children's rides.

Apart from the indoor location and the fact that the floor is very clean, unlike the litter-strewn mud baths of the traditional 1970s British traveling fairs, this living museum of fun is like walking back in time by about 50 years.

Related Tags

Amusement Parks Vintage Carousels Art Collections Nostalgia

Know Before You Go

To visit this slice of nostalgia you have to pay the entry fee to the entire park (£11.95 in 2017) but the zoo is quite good and there is a lot of other stuff to see including the farm animal collection which was the origin of the attraction.

Community Contributors

Added By

Dr Alan P Newman

Published

August 24, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.showmewales.co.uk/thedms.aspx?dms=3&feature=1003&venue=1014850
  • http://www.evans-crittens.com/2015/12/a-fun-filled-family-day-at-folly-farm.html
  • http://alondoninheritance.com/
Folly Farm
Folly Farms
Begelly
Pembrokeshire, Wales
United Kingdom
51.744368, -4.730669
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Pendine Sands

Pendine, Wales

miles away

Wogan Cavern

Pembroke, Wales

miles away

Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre

Pembroke Dock, Wales

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire

Wales

Places 4

Nearby Places

Pendine Sands

Pendine, Wales

miles away

Wogan Cavern

Pembroke, Wales

miles away

Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre

Pembroke Dock, Wales

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire

Wales

Places 4

Related Places

  • The carousel at Ross Park, one of six in the Binghamton area.

    Johnson City, New York

    Carousel Capital of the World

    The Binghamton area is home to six of the last remaining hand-carved vintage carousels.

  • Munich, Germany

    Alte Utting

    From open waters to open dance floors—this decommissioned ferry has been transformed into a lively nightclub.

  • Framingham, Massachusetts

    Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller Collection

    The largest collection of works by a pioneering Black woman sculptor is on display at this Massachusetts art museum.

  • Wilderness, South Africa

    Smokkelhuis

    A vast and varied antique and vintage collection that borders on museum status.

  • Mijas Miniatures Museum

    Mijas, Spain

    Mijas Miniatures Museum

    A man's curious and seriously small handmade objects from around the world.

  • Visitors can admire typewriters from different periods of history.

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Philly Typewriter

    Welcome to the home of the world's largest typewriter company.

  • JChristopher

    Tarpon Springs, Florida

    Replay Amusement Museum

    Play over 120 retro arcade games and pinball machines at this throwback museum.

  •  The 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air Bubble Top was such an icon, that even the Beach Boys sang its praises. Their song “409,” appeared on both their 1962 album Surfin’ Safari and 1963’s Little Deuce Coupe.

    Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

    Wheels of Yesteryear

    From the 1940 Ford Coupe that started it all 50 years ago, this collection of over 150 classic vehicles celebrates the spirit and history of American car craft.

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.