The Folly

The Folly is a house, likely dating from the late 16th or early 17th century, with extensions from the 18th century and alterations in the early 20th. The original core is timber-framed and was later extended and partially rebuilt in brick, all now covered with roughcast. It has tiled roofs. Originally consisting of three bays, the house now incorporates office space.

The front of the original section features a central entrance and a horizontal sliding sash window to the left on the ground floor. The first floor has small horizontal sliding sashes in the centre and to the left. A 20th-century shop window projection, with a catslide roof, is located in the right bay. An 18th-century block is attached to the left, being three bays wide, two storeys high with an attic, and with a steeply pitched roof. This block projects slightly forward and is set at a different angle. It has a central recessed architraved door, flanked by full-height rectangular bays with tripartite sash windows topped with gables. A horizontal sliding sash window is set in the right-hand attic, with casements to the left.

To the rear of the original range are lean-to outshuts with catslide roofs, while the right bay has a separately pitched roof and an external stack with offsets and a rebuilt cap. An external stack with offsets is also located to the rear left of the 18th-century block. A full-height wing extends to the rear.

Inside the original range are jowled posts supporting cambered tie beams, and a roof constructed with clasped purlins and curved wind braces. The 18th-century block contains binding beams with stop-chamfered edges, and a staircase featuring a moulded handrail.