Aughton Old Hall

Aughton Old Hall is a house dating back to the 15th century, with alterations likely occurring in the late 18th century and a restoration in the mid-20th century. It is constructed from brick and sandstone rubble, with remaining elements of a timber frame. The building is two storeys high. The east wall features a one-bay cross-wing on the left side, built of stone on the ground floor and brick above. The windows are 20th-century casements with glazing bars. The main range displays exposed timber framing near where it joins the cross-wing. A doorhead with a depressed pointed arch connects two wallposts, which are tenoned into a wallplate below the current eaves level. Immediately to the right of the second post is a third, also tenoned into the wallplate. To the right on the ground floor is a window. On the first floor are two windows, with the left-hand one positioned above the timber doorhead. The current doorway is situated to the right of the original doorway. Chimneys are located in line with the original doorway and on the gable of the cross-wing. Inside, a modern staircase is positioned to the left of the front door, separated from it by a short timber-framed wall. The cross-wing contains some exposed ceiling beams on the ground floor and a 17th-century segmental-arched stone fireplace built within the cross-passage. On the first floor, part of a spherical truss is visible, with a tie-beam interrupted by posts, which are arch-braced to the central raised tie-beam. A timber wall on the ground floor contributes to the structure of the spherical truss. An arched brace from the front post to the tie-beam has been removed, but part of a moulding remains on the post. Sections of the rear post and arched brace are also visible. On the first floor, the framing of the cross-wing is exposed where it abuts the main hall range, framed in square panels with straight braces. The lack of weathering on the tie-beam of the hall truss, which has raking struts, suggests a consistently storeyed end to the hall.