The Greyhound

A coaching inn with integrated Assize Court and Assembly Room, now converted to apartments, located on the north side of Market Place in Folkingham. The building spans several periods of construction and alteration: circa 1650, circa 1730, 1788–1789, early and late 19th century, and 20th century.

The main structure combines limestone rubble and ashlar with red brick and ashlar dressings. Roofs are plain tile and pantile with stone coped gables and gable stacks; the south front carries three ridge stacks, with a tall 20th-century lateral stack to the rear. The plan is U-shaped.

The principal south front is three storeys and seven bays, dating from 1788–1790. An ashlar plinth runs across the base, with two small two-light mullion basement windows to the right. Ashlar bands mark the first and second floors, beneath a moulded eaves cornice and brick parapet. Ashlar quoins run vertically between the fifth and sixth bays from the left, marking the interior position of the single-storey Assize Court and Assembly Room.

The centrepiece is a carriage archway with basket arch and moulded ashlar surround topped by a scrolled keystone. A late 19th-century doorway has been inserted nearby, consisting of central double partially glazed doors flanked by Doric pilasters that rise into an overlight, themselves flanked by single narrow glazing bar sashes. The doorway is flanked on each side by two glazing bar sashes with serpentine lintels and raised keystones. Above the archway sits a semi-circular-headed window with scrolled ashlar keystone and glazing bars arranged with radiating spokes, itself flanked by pairs of glazing bar sashes. In the last two bays to the right, a Venetian window breaks through the first floor band, featuring a moulded ashlar architrave, scrolled keystone over the semi-circular central light, and glazing bar sashes, with seven smaller glazing bar sashes above, all bearing serpentine lintels and raised keystones. A painted sundial adorns the brick parapet above the central bay.

Two low 17th-century wings extend to the rear with lower ranges attached to the north. The brick two-storey, three-bay north side of the main south range dates from the late 18th century and features a broad ashlar first floor band and decorative eaves. A central doorway with double partially glazed doors is flanked by single glazing bar sashes, all three openings with wedge lintels. Above sits a semi-circular-headed window.

The west side of the 17th-century north-east range was remodelled in the late 18th century, incorporating a canted bay window to the right with fixed glazing bars, a two-light casement to the left, and a four-light fixed window with transom beyond, the latter two bearing wedge lintels and raised ashlar keystones. A glazing bar sash to the right has a wooden lintel. A dummy oval garret window appears in the north gable with ashlar keyed architrave. A lower range to the north contains a two-light casement with wedge lintel and raised ashlar keystone.

The 17th-century east side of the north-west range was also remodelled in the late 18th century to two storeys plus garret, presenting a three-bay front with decorated eaves and a masonry break between the first and second bays to the right. A doorway to the left has a damaged ashlar surround and stone lintel with glazing bar door. A glazing bar sash to the right features an ashlar wedge lintel and raised keystone. A further doorway beyond has a wooden lintel, ashlar wedge lintel with raised keystone above, and panelled door.

A lower single-storey 17th-century range with attic, attached to the north, was remodelled in the 18th century with decorated brick eaves and three bays. A doorway to the left, with head askew, has wooden lintel and panelled door. A canted bay window to the right displays fixed glazing bars, followed by a glazing bar sash with wooden lintel. Two flat-headed dormers above contain two-light casements.

Interior features include a pine five-flight return staircase of circa 1730 with two turned banisters to each tread, square knops, carved tread ends, and moulded handrail sweeping upwards to newels, with fielded panelled dadoes on the staircase walls. A late 17th-century oak five-flight return staircase features simply moulded turned banisters and a broad, heavy moulded handrail.

The Assize Court and Assembly Room displays a delicately moulded ornate cornice, two oval plaques depicting Justice and Mercy, and a plain grey marble fireplace with beaded moulded bands and fielded panelled dado.

A parlour contains an ornate late 18th-century fireplace flanked by fluted columns with entablature and a plaque containing a lyre and leaves motif, beneath a moulded cornice with bands of egg and dart ornament.

Additional interior fireplaces include a mid-17th-century stone fireplace in the north-west range with simply moulded surround of very flat profile, a large 17th-century inglenook fireplace in a room to the north with chamfered bressumer, an early 18th-century cupboard above a doorway, and a large early 18th-century fireplace in the north-west range with stone segmental head.

The 17th-century ranges feature large chamfered beams and staggered purlin roofs.