‘Folly’, Portaferry House Demesne, Coach Road, Ballymurphy, Portaferry, Co Down

Circular ‘folly’ built from the remains of a former windmill tower of possible mid 18th century origin. The building has a rectangular stairwell extension, all with various ‘gothic arch’ openings and situated within the former pleasure grounds within the Portaferry House demesne, S of the house itself and less than half a mile N of Portaferry. Measuring roughly 18ft in diameter and 22ft in height and constructed in random rubble, there is a ‘gothic’ entrance to a small ground level dome shaped vaulted chamber and another gothic entrance to extension, leading to a stairway. The stairway is spiral and leads to a, now overgrown, upper level, (the walls of which have been reconstructed recently using loose stone found at the base) with ‘gothic’ openings of various sizes. No trace of roof. Stone bridge close by.