7/8 Stone Houses

Rectory, 1533, remodelled in the 17th century and in the later 20th century

This is a substantial house built in thinly rendered rubble sandstone and millstone grit with large irregular quoins and ashlar dressings. The roof is of graduated stone flags with stone gable copings. A western extension of roughly coursed squared sandstone lacks quoins or dressings. The building sits opposite St Thomas's Church, separated by a lane. The wall flanking the north side of this lane contains a square-headed entrance with heavy dressings and a broad chamfer, which aligns with the main south entrance to the building and clearly provided an early means of access from the church to the house.

The main south elevation comprises four bays and three storeys with an ashlar-corniced left end chimney. The main entrance at the right end has a boarded door set in a Tudor-arched surround with wide, broach-stopped chamfers and irregular-block jambs. There are three ground floor windows; the most easterly has wide chamfered surrounds and the single light retains sockets for a grille of bars. The other two are 3-light mullioned windows with narrower jambs. Four first floor windows have chamfered surrounds of varying shape and proportions in their original positions, though their sills have been lowered. Two small windows at eaves level have broad chamfers and iron grilles. The western extension has a 20th century door and a late 19th century sash window under a flat stone lintel. The rear north elevation has scattered inserted fenestration at the east end and a two-storey, single bay catslide extension at the west end; the rear wall of the original building appears to retain traces of original lime render when viewed from within the extension. The west gable of the original building has chamfered coping, while the later extension has a substantial external chimney stack and battered lower parts resulting from later 19th century underpinning, with a single ground floor window. The rear outshut has a doorway through the west wall reached by a short flight of stone steps. The east gable has chamfered coping and a roll-moulded finial.

Interior

Most of the present layout dates to the 20th century, except for the westernmost ground floor room, which is considered to date to the mid-17th century. All walls have small-squared panelling with parts of an original cornice and panels with arcading decoration. At least one example of an H-hinge common in the mid-17th century survives. The rear face of the panelling forming the east side is now obscured by an inserted wall, but photographic evidence shows each individual panel has a large centrally placed painted geometric motif. These depict a light colour outlined in black; the simple design comprises interlocking squares and triangles around a central lozenge in an elaboration of a fretée cross, infilled with possible heraldic motifs. There are also examples of painted Tudor roses and foliage. This panelling is considered, by analogy with similar dated survivals elsewhere in the region, to be of late 16th century date. Two original central ceiling beams span the width of the room, one with a chamfer stop at its south end.

The panelling to the chimneybreast incorporates arcading and fluted pilasters; some have usual recessed fluting but the smaller ones have raised fluting with distinctive terminals consistent with a mid-17th century date. The smaller pilasters formed part of an original blind arcading of paired semi-circular arches, again seen in houses dated to the mid-17th century. The timberwork below the mantelpiece is a modern representation containing a 19th century cast-iron range.

On the first floor, the westernmost room retains the original stone fireplace with a chamfered lintel set forward on shaped corbels. The lower part of the opening has been infilled with modern stonework. This room also retains early oak floor boards of differing widths and original ceiling beams are visible.

The roof comprises four bays formed by three collar-beam trusses with two levels of collars secured by pairs of pegs driven obliquely to each other, carrying a diagonally-set ridge and two levels of purlins. Many timbers are clearly reused, with wall-plates now serving as purlins and rafters bearing pegged slots and mortices that must relate to braces or struts in a previous building. The eastern part of the attic has been converted to domestic accommodation and two of the roof trusses are only partially visible. The west end remains unconverted and the upper part of the original chimney breast is visible against the west wall, bearing a single apotropaic mark, or evil-averting mark, otherwise known as a witch mark or ritual mark. This example takes the form of a circle with a Star of David motif within; such marks were considered to protect a building from evil spirits, witches or their animal familiars. The floor frame is partially visible and has incised carpenter's marks.