The Old Rectory

The Old Rectory is a rectory, likely built in the late 17th century, with remodels and extensions added to the rear in the late 18th century. The wings were further extended and internal alterations made in the early 19th century. The front is made of squared stone, while the returns are constructed of rubble, and the rear wings feature squared, roughly-tooled stone. The roof is mixed blue and purple slate, with old brick stacks.

The south front has two storeys and three bays. The ground floor features 15-pane sash windows that form French doors, while the upper floor has 12-pane sashes, except for a triple plate-glass casement window on the left. The gables are coped with end stacks. The left return displays two iron-latticed casements, which were formerly in the attic, in the gable end of the main block. There is also a four-bay rear wing with a half-glazed door that has early 20th-century leaded glazing and 12-pane sashes. The right return shows a rear wing with a radial-glazed arched stair window. At the rear, the original stair wing is set back between the later wings and features an old flush-panelled door beneath a radial fanlight, along with four- and twelve-pane sashes and a reverse-stepped gable.

Inside, there is a dog-leg open-string staircase with three stick balusters on each tread, a wreathed and ramped moulded handrail, and moulded newels. The interior also has a modillion cornice. On the first floor, there are segmental arches with moulded imposts and beaded keyblocks, as well as two-panel doors leading to the bedrooms. The first floor of the front block was originally a single chamber in the early 19th century, but the east end has been partitioned off. The west part boasts a spectacular ceiling that is open to the ridge, featuring a lattice of faceted timbers covering each roof slope, collar beams treated similarly, and a heavy cornice with zigzag, dogtooth, and billet moulding. There is a fireplace that came from Haggerstone Castle.

The Old Rectory is an extensive and interesting house, possibly situated on a medieval site. The ruins of Sheepwash Church had been removed by the late 18th century, but the rectory continued to serve Bothal Church until the late 19th century.