Gayton Hall

Gayton Hall is a large house dating to the late 17th century, with substantial recasing work around 1750. It is constructed of brick with stone dressings, and has a slate roof. The house is three storeys high and originally comprised nine bays, with the central three bays slightly projected forward. A moulded stone base extends around the building, complemented by two horizontal bands between the floors, a top cornice, and a parapet. The windows are sash windows with flat, gauged brick arches and keystones, most featuring 12 panes, with the second floor windows having 16 panes. The first bay of the second floor lacks a window. The first three bays show evidence of repairs following fire damage. The original central entrance has been replaced with a window, framed by an architrave and an Ionic doorcase with a broken segmental pediment. A later brick porch has been added to the seventh bay, and the inner entrance is distinguished by a bolection-moulded architrave. Three brick stacks are visible. The left return side, with four bays, mirrors the main facade, while the right return features two coped gables and ground floor casement windows. The rear elevation has a central two-bay recessed section with gables and 20th-century leaded casement windows, with three bays of sash windows on either side. A kitchen wing is present on the left, and a first-floor terrace with a balustrade is also visible. A central gabled porch provides access to the rear.

The interior retains some original features. Ground floor rooms are largely panelled, with doors and window shutters. One room features a fireplace with a large oak beam and panelling, potentially incorporating re-used elements from an older chest. A 17th-century staircase has a moulded close string, turned balusters, and square newels, although it has likely been altered. Some of the balusters have been re-used in a low screen with a gate on the landing. A central room on the first floor has bolection-moulded raised panelling, a 20th-century replica of earlier work, and a fireplace with a decorated stone lintel. Another room on the same floor features raised panelling, likely dating to the early 18th century. The second floor has collar and tie beam trusses, along with some carpenters' marks and re-used timber. Rear gabled bays incorporate sawn-through tie beams where they meet the main roof, and one wide-boarded door is noted. Historical records indicate that William of Orange was once a guest of the Glegg family. Two evergreen oak trees, named William and Mary, are planted in the garden to commemorate his visit.