kɹˈɔft wʌz wˈʌns sɪɡnˈɪfɪkənt fɔːɹ ɪts spˈɑː, fˈɜːst nˈoʊɾɪst ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɪkshˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti ˈeɪt, ænd æz ˈɜːli æz wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːtiːn ðə sˈʌlfɚɹəs spɹˈɪŋ wˈɔːɾɚ hæd ɐkwˈaɪɚd sˈʌtʃ fˈeɪm ðˌɐɾɪt wʌz sˈoʊld ɪn lˈʌndən æz ɐ kjˈʊɹ fɔːɹ ˈeɪlmənts ænd dɪzˈiːzᵻz, æz dᵻskɹˈaɪbd ɪn ɹˈɑːbɚt wˈɪlənz stˈʌdi ʌvðə sˈʌlfɚ wˈɔːɾɚɹ æt kɹˈɔft, pˈʌblɪʃt ɪn lˈʌndən ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi tˈuː.
Croft was once significant for its spa, first noticed in 1668, and as early as 1713 the sulphurous spring water had acquired such fame that it was sold in London as a cure for ailments and diseases, as described in Robert Willan's study of the sulphur water at Croft, published in London in 1782.