Known by Historic England as 'Folly to Rear of Number 100', the tower in South Street, Tarring, has been Grade II listed since July 1989. The listing says the folly was built in the early 19th century, heightened in the mid-19th century and altered in the later 19th century and 20th century. It is described as a single square cell of two storeys with a basement and embattled parapet. At the entrance, there is a segmental-arched basement opening and cantilevered stone steps rise to a doorway. The upper floor has a later, wide, three-light window and at the rear, there is a ground-floor pointed-arched window. The upper storey has casements and a wide three-light window. Although visible when it was listed, the folly became hidden behind trees and foliage over the years and it came to the point people new to the area had no idea it was even there. Next to the folly, there is a plaque which reads: "The adjacent tower was erected by W. Osborne Boyes in 1893." According to historian Roger Davies, author of the book Tarring: A Walk Through Its History, Mr Osborne Boyes was a solicitor who had the tower built as a study to find solitude from his children. The folly was restored in the 1950s but has probably not been touched since. Local historian Chris Hare says follies were popular in the Victorian times, when the house was built. Writing for Worthing Heritage Trails in the Tarring Village pamphlet in 2022, Chris said: “The Tarring Folly: 100 South Street, Tarring is, at the time of writing, in a poor state of repair. It was once quite an imposing house. “In 1893, it was the home of Mr W. Osborne Boyes, a solicitor, who built at the bottom of his long garden a tower known locally as the Tarring Folly. Here, he would sit working, away from all noise and distraction. “It was said that he loved to watch the sun rise over the fields that led down to the sea – a view that in those days was uninterrupted by houses or traffic. “The folly is on private property and can only be seen through gaps in the houses near No.6 Westland Avenue. It is a Grade II listed building, although, like number 100, it is sadly neglected.” Chris believes Mr Osborne Boyes had trouble sleeping and that is why he would retire to his tower in the early hours to watch the sun rise over the sea. In June 2015, Worthing Borough Council authorised funds for a detailed report on the condition of the listed building because of its state of disrepair. It was thought the folly had become home to a family of foxes. This historic property is going up for auction with a guide price of £500,000. The sale with Lextons Auctions will take place on September 25.
