SHOES dating back 250 years have been discovered bricked up in Settle's historic Folly.

One shoe and a boot were uncovered during work on the building, which also revealed a beehive oven and fire hole that experts believe are part of an even older house on the site.

The Folly is one of Settle's most well-known landmarks and was built as a gentleman's residence for Richard Preston in 1679.

It has had numerous uses over the centuries, including a fish and chip shop, doctors' surgery and antique shop.

Now it is split in two with the southern end owned by the North Craven Buildings Preservation Trust and housing the local museum. The northern part is a private house owned by Mark and Pat Rand.

They applied for planning permission to bring the ground floor back into domestic use and it was during work to tackle a damp problem that the oven and shoes were discovered.

The couple called in Settle historians Phil and Rita Hudson, of Hudson History, who have studied The Folly and published a book about the building after the chance discovery of Richard Preston's will in an archive.

Their research disproved the local theory that the house was named The Folly because Mr Preston ran out of money while building it.

Mr Hudson said: "The shoes were in the rubble filling in the beehive oven, which is to the side of an old kitchen range. The beehive oven and fire hole are clearly part of an older range.

"It used to be the practice that you walled up shoes as a good luck charm when you did any building work. Until Mark and Pat bought the house we had been unable to do any survey work in this end of The Folly and what we have found strongly suggests that it was built on the site of a much older building, incorporating some of its features. We will be updating our book as a result of our finds."

The remains of the footwear are now with Settle shoemaker Daniel Nelson who is interpreting the various pieces. Eventually they will be mounted to go on display in the museum.

Mr Nelson said: "They are not a pair, are both about size five and have been heavily repaired, probably at home as it was not a very professional job. They are hand made and may have been fastened by buckles, which were very expensive and were passed down."

The Folly has yielded other finds including a silver thimble and beads.

Mrs Rand said: "Every time you put a spade in the garden something comes out, mainly musket balls and pottery."

Mr and Mrs Hudson's book on The Folly is available from them at Hudson History at Procter House in Kirkgate, Settle.