There are only four balconies over the River Thames in Oxford and Studio Papaver has one of them. From here, you can see the remains of the original Saxon stonework in the southern reaches of Oxford’s great Folly Bridge. You can see the arches through which Alice paddled before following the rabbit down its burrow into Wonderland. Sitting at the small glass topped table on the balcony, you look up to an old wrought iron hoist, preserved as an architectural feature, that tells of the days when the River Thames was the nerve centre of British trade.
The sun floods into Studio Papaver. Reflected from the river through the bay windows and south facing terrace door, it dances on the tall white ceiling. Artworks in this room are led by South African artist, Paul du Toit but also include a porcelain and stoneware bowl and a heron beak jug made by the owner of Folly Bridge House.
Folly Bridge House is one of Oxford’s iconic buildings. A crenellated Victorian tower standing on an island in the River Thames at the point of the original 900 AD oxen ford, it conjures all the romance of the city. This is the spot where Alice in Wonderland was invented by Lewis Carroll. On Folly Bridge, the 13th century philosopher and alchemist Roger Bacon had a tower. From the roof, the River Thames and the dreaming spires of the city spread out before you.
Folly Bridge House has been beautifully restored by a potter and a writer. It has 7 self-contained studio apartments (for more information on the whole house search for follybridgehouse). Each apartment is hung with objects from the owners' collection of contemporary paintings, sculptures and ceramics. Each is equipped with the elegant necessities of city living, including fibre optic broadband and flat screen TV. Folly Bridge House strives for an Eco and Fair Trade ethos.
Only ten minutes walk from the High Street, the colleges of Oxford University and the shops, restaurants and cinemas of the New Westgate Centre, Folly Bridge House lets you be in the bright lights in a moment and yet return to the tranquillity of the river.
FBH is perfect for individuals, couples or groups of colleagues, seeking the epicentre of the city but wanting something different. Folly Bridge House caters particularly to visiting academics.
Oxford’s most fashionable riverside restaurant, stands across the courtyard. The Folly offers a discount to our guests. Across the road is the famous old Head of the River Pub.
The studio is furnished with double bed, with organic fair trade linen, a round dining table with chairs and a comfortable armchair. The wardrobe has a mirror glass door, a hanging rail, and 3 drawers. It is W50xD60xH236.
The hideaway kitchen is cleverly designed to provide for modern living, almost invisibly: double induction hob, combination convection oven/microwave/ grill, undercounter fridge, plus the elegant necessities for city living, including a Nespresso pod Coffee Machine.
Folly Bridge House bathrooms are small. Their size is dictated by trying to introduce 21st comfort into a heritage house. So, if a large bathroom is a critical element of your enjoyment, FBH is not for you. They are new, bright with a water softening shower and hairdryer.
There is super fast fibre optic broadband and a flatscreen TV. The latest in ventilation systems removes cooking smells, steam and Oxford’s notorious damp climate from the apartment, replacing them with fresh, warmed air drawn from above the trees at a rate of 180 cubic metres per hour.
Clothes washing and drying/ironing facilities are provided on the lower ground floor. Parking, secured by CCTV camera, in front of the house, is available at extra charge.
