Originally conceived as a purpose-built headquarters for the English Folk Dance Society, and now Grade II-listed, it was designed in the neo-Georgian style by architect Henry Martineau Fletcher, and opened on 7 June 1930.
ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəli kənsˈiːvd æz ɐ pˈɜːpəsbˈɪlt hɛdkwˈɔːɹɾɚz fɚðɪ ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ fˈoʊk dˈæns səsˈaɪəɾi, ænd nˈaʊ ɡɹˈeɪd ɹˌoʊmən tˈuːlˈɪstᵻd, ɪt wʌz dɪzˈaɪnd ɪnðə nˈiːoʊdʒˈɔːɹdʒən stˈaɪl baɪ ˈɑːɹkɪtˌɛkt hˈɛnɹi mˈɑːɹtɪnˌoʊ flˈɛtʃɚ, ænd ˈoʊpənd ˌɔn sˈɛvən dʒˈuːn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi.