The Folly In Raby Park

The Folly in Raby Park is a Grade II* listed structure built in 1780 by J. Carr as a decorative feature for Raby Castle. It incorporates elements from the medieval barbican arch and other remnants of the castle. The folly is constructed from coarse pinkish sandstone for the arch, while other parts are made of rubble or brick with ashlar dressings and quoins. Dense vegetation obscures the possible plinth.

The design includes a gateway and two-storey, one-bay towers connected by walls, with a right-side one-storey, one-bay addition that matches the materials and style. The double-chamfered arch is supported by half-octagonal shafts with moulded capitals and is set in a stone wall beneath a brick string course and parapet, which features a window with four trefoil-headed lights. The flanking turrets are made of rubble and have small round-headed openings, topped with truncated pierced pyramids. Lower narrow rubble sections with quatrefoil openings are positioned next to these turrets.

The walls connecting the towers have windows with three trefoil-headed lights, while the towers themselves feature two-light ground-floor windows and a single light above, all styled similarly but with brick label moulds. The structure is topped with an embattled parapet. At the time of the survey, the folly was in a derelict condition.