The Rotunda/Palladian Temple was designed by Sir Robert Smirke and built in the early 1800's for 'Mad Jack Fuller', who was the Squire of Brightling. This building is where it is said 'Mad Jack Fuller' use to host raucous dinner parties and frequent it with ladies of ill repute.
'Mad Jack' was a local very wealthy iron master who operated a forge at Burwash and a furnace at Heathfield where a wide range of cannons and household iron implements were manufactured, and he owned Brightling Park where we are now.
The Rotunda was built with shutters and doors so that these could be opened all round when the weather was good and relevant items closed when the weather was inclement from one side or the other.
If you would like further details of Mad Jack, the Fullers or the Brightling area please click on the following links:
![Norman Crossbow](javascript:launch_resize("/images/1066AD/norman_crossbow_lft.png", 900, 1000);)
![Mad Jack Fuller](javascript:launch_resize("/tour_guide/images/mad_jack/rotunda.jpg"))
