A historical newspaper clipping titled "A Lively Night in Settle, 1862" with details about a vestry meeting. It includes accounts and allegations regarding funds for Highways by the Surveyors. The Folly, Museum of North Craven Life, Yorkshire Dales National Park, and Arts Council England logos are present at the bottom.

From the Settle Chronicle, March 1862.

A packed vestry meeting, rows over roads and rates, cries of “It isn’t a fair do!” - and then the Auditor got a pay rise.

More local drama here: https://thefolly.org.uk/collections/settle-chronicle/

A brass ice cream sandwich maker with a rectangular base is displayed on a speckled surface. A handwritten label is attached to the handle. The image is part of an exhibition from The Folly Museum of North Craven Life, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England.

Is that the sun we can see sometimes? It feels like an ice-cream sort of day.

One of the more unexpected things in the collection - an ice-cream sandwich maker.

Do you have any memories of ice-cream sandwiches or a family version of your own?

Where is it Wednesday?

We’ve been inventorying lace samples this week, stored in an old red box with a church photograph on the lid.

Can anyone tell us where the church is?

Comment below or email info@ncbpt.org.uk

Today’s the day - our builders are on site at The Folly at last.

From 13 April to early June there’ll be no level access to the ground floor because of the works. Coffee House front access is via four uneven steps.

Supported by ACE/DCMS MEND Round 4 & match funders @artscouncilengland.bsky.social

A sign outside "The Folly" in Settle, Yorkshire Dales, provides an update on coffee house access from April 13 to early June. The background features blurred greenery.

Coffee House access update:

From 13 April to early June, there will be no level access to the ground floor of The Folly due to building works.

Front access is via four uneven steps with a handrail.

Please ring us and we’ll see if we can bring The Folly Coffee House to you.

A busy day behind the scenes at The Folly.

Staff and volunteers measuring, condition-checking and labelling a large number of objects in one go. Every object has its own unique number, so we can always be sure what we’re looking at.

Busy busy busy.

A few lovely new things have just arrived in The Folly shop - new cards, restocked favourites and colourful candles.

If you’ve been meaning to have a browse, do pop in soon. Our last day before closing for the builders is Saturday 11th. We’re hoping to reopen in July.

People sitting around a table at The Folly during a cyanotype workshop, with prints and materials spread out in front of them.

A blue cyanotype print on fabric showing white fern-like leaves.

A cyanotype print on blue fabric using a copied historic photograph negative, surrounded by plant shapes and small circular objects.

Two finished blue cyanotype prints laid side by side on a table.

A lovely bit of community activity from last week at The Folly.

We ran cyanotype workshops with Skipton Stroke Support Group and our volunteers, using copied Horner negatives to make fabric prints.

We also started planning our Cold Cases exhibition with Keeper’s Club.

A cream social graphic with The Folly logo and the text “Could You Survive in 19th Century Settle?” and “Try The Lottery of Life”. The main image is a historic photograph of the Church of Holy Ascension in Settle from 1877. Heritage Fund and Arts Council England logos appear at the bottom.

Could you survive in 19th century Settle?

The Folly’s Lottery of Life matches you with someone from the town’s past, using real local lives linked to Holy Ascension graveyard research. Have a go: https://thefolly.org.uk/the-lottery-of-life-game/

Another lovely 5-star review for The Folly Coffee House ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Although the main building is currently closed, you can still enjoy a little slice of Folly history in our Coffee House ☕

Enjoyed your visit? Reviews on Facebook, Google and TripAdvisor really help spread the word 💚

A green, ornate Gothic-style door at The Folly Settle set within a stone building facade, featuring decorative columns and arch detailing. The image is framed by logos for The Folly Museum of North Craven Life, Heritage Fund, and Arts Council England.

The Folly has never been only one thing.

Built in the late 17th century, it has been a home, workplace, farm and lodging house over the years.

Have you ever heard an old Folly story passed down locally?

Museum closed until Summer 2026. Coffee House open Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm.

From the Settle Chronicle, March 1861.

A sad report from a harsh winter, and a reminder of how dangerous snow and cold could be in this part of the world.

Do you know any more about the people or places mentioned here?

Archive: https://thefolly.org.uk/collections/settle-chronicle/

A cream social graphic with the headline “Do You Remember the Gas Shop?” and the subtitle “North Eastern Gas Board, Settle”. The main image is a black and white photograph of the old North Eastern Gas Board shopfront in Settle, with cookers and appliances displayed in the window. Signs in the window include one advertising “Live Water” washing. The Folly logo appears at the top, and National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England logos appear at the bottom.

A black and white photograph of the old North Eastern Gas Board shop in Settle. Cookers and appliances are displayed in the shop window, along with signs and posters including one advertising “Live Water” washing.

From the Horner Collection - the old North Eastern Gas Board shop in Settle.

There’s so much to spot here - the “Live Water” sign, the gas poker, the cookers and that eye-level grill.

The old North Eastern Gas Board shop in Settle.ighbouring shop?

Comment below or email us at info@ncbpt.org.uk

Do you recognise this window?

And can you spot the person in the shadows, looking up at it?

Comment below or email us on info@ncbpt.org.uk

Museum no: SETCL : 2022.1.44.37

Collection:
https://hub.catalogit.app/museum-of-north-craven-life

A round fruit cake dusted with sugar on a wooden board, with a lit stove and stone wall in the background.

A berry tart dusted with icing sugar on a wooden board in the Coffee House.

A plate with toasted savoury slices topped with cheese, ham, red onion and black olives, served with a side salad.

A close-up of freshly baked fruit scallywags or scones with sugar on top and red glace cherries.

The weather may have turned colder again, but there’s still a warm welcome at The Folly Coffee House.

Coffee, homemade bakes and tasty lunches in the cosy kitchen of our 17th century building.

Open Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm.

People sitting around a table at The Folly, making colourful window pieces during a community workshop.

Old lamps, craft materials and hands at work on a table during a workshop about light at The Folly.

A handmade colourful window piece hanging in front of one of The Folly’s old leaded windows.

Colourful handmade window pieces hanging against one of The Folly’s old stone-framed windows.

Last week we held two community sessions at The Folly, exploring light through old lamps, windows and shared memories.

Participants then made their own window pieces, thinking about what they’d like to let the light into this spring.

A lovely one to look back on.

A cream social graphic with the headline “Not Quite What You’d Expect in 1865” and the subtitle “American cranberries and fresh lobsters in Settle”. The main image is a newspaper advert from the Settle Chronicle for American cranberries and fresh lobsters sold by John Tatham & Son, Settle. The advert includes the words “JUST ARRIVED” and “FRESH LOBSTERS”.

From the Settle Chronicle, April 1865.

American cranberries and fresh lobsters in Settle.

Do you know anything about John Tatham & Son, or can you spot anything else in the advert that catches your eye?

Archive: https://thefolly.org.uk/collections/settle-chronicle/

Jane Ingham lived at The Folly with her three children & worked here as a baker.

This isn’t Jane herself, but an 1814 illustration of oatcake making, used to evoke the kind of work she would have known.

Discover Folly Families:
https://bit.ly/3PuChub

A colour photograph of children on the Zion carnival float at Settle Carnival Jubilee in 1977, shown within a black 35mm slide frame. The graphic has The Folly logo at the top left, with the text “A Carnival Memory from 1977” and “Settle Carnival Jubilee” above the image. At the bottom are the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England logos.

From the collection - Settle Carnival Jubilee 1977.

The Zion carnival float in Settle in 1977.

Were you there, or can you spot anyone you know?

Please comment below or email info@ncbpt.org.uk

Explore more here: https://hub.catalogit.app/museum-of-north-craven-life

A lovely archive post for Mother’s Day.

This Settle Chronicle advert from 1866 announces Miss Beetham’s return from London with the latest novelties for the season.

Nice to imagine the sort of gifts and treats that might once have caught the eye in Settle.

Museum closed until Summer 2026.

Oystercatchers are brightly coloured, noisy birds which breed every year along the Ribble Valley.

However, records from the 1890s do not mention this species at all!

The earliest recorded sighting was in 1938, with ~20-25 regular breeding pairs reported in the 1970s.

📷Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5

Our first historic bird sighting of the month for 2026 is a bit different as it isnt a sighting in North Craven...

In January 1953 a pied wagtail was recorded on the Isle of Wight which had been ringed in Settle the previous summer, a journey of nearly 400 miles!

📷 Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0

Whilst the year has had many triumphs, it has also brought grief and challenges.

We would like to thank all our customers and visitors for their support in 2025 and look forward to welcoming you back in the new year.

The Folly year in review: December

The end of the year is always magical at The Folly, with tasty Christmas treats from our cafe,
spooky Victorian ghost stories for adults and adventures with Molly the Mouse for children.

The Folly year in review: November

We visited Kirkby Malham Primary School alongside artist Katharine Holmes to deliver a workshop. The children recreated some of Katharine's paintings using techniques that she showed them.

The paintings are now on display in our Cosy Corner!

The Folly year in review: October

We unveiled our new quilt, made by community groups in response to our historic Horner Photographic Collection, and welcomed a photographer to demonstrate historic photography techniques.

The Folly year in review: September

We made a very special playhouse for Heritage Open Days... inspired by our 17th century building!

Local school pupils helped us create it over the summer, and in September we opened it to the public for children to explore and decorate.

The Folly year in review: August

This was a very busy month for our cafe team!

We ran a successful Langcliffe Teas event raising money for the restoration of Dr Buck's House as a cultural hub and museum gallery.

Our staff were also honoured to be judges at the Langcliffe Village Show.

The Folly year in review: July

July was a very busy month for the whole Folly team, with new displays and a trip down to London for the Royal Society Summer Science Fair!

The Folly year in review: June

Alongside our regular exhibitions for visitors to enjoy, in June we also had two pop-up displays - one at The Folly celebrating Refugee Week, and one at Art in the Dale in Kirkby Malham Church.