True to its name, Sham Castle is indeed a fake. It is what the English call a “folly” (yes, they have an official term for “fake castle” in Europe!). Follies are fake castles built relatively recently – usually 18th-19th century – to resemble a medieval castle.

Architecture that mimics the appearance of a medieval castle but was built for decorative or residential purposes rather than defense is most commonly called a "Folly" or "Chateanesque" architecture. A "Folly" is specifically a building constructed primarily for decoration, often appearing as a "romantic ruin" in the gardens of 18th and 19th-century European estates. In the United States, large mansions that imitate French Renaissance castles—like the Biltmore Estate—are referred to as being in the Chateanesque style. More modern, often low-quality imitations built for amusement parks or themed housing are sometimes colloquially called "McCastles" or "Disney-fied" architecture. Another term used in a historical context is "Gothic Revival," which was a Victorian-era movement that brought back turrets, battlements, and pointed arches. While these buildings look imposing, they lack the functional defensive features of a true castle, such as thick curtain walls, machicolations, or a moat intended for protection rather than landscaping.