The Old Rectory

SE 7806-7906 BELTON HIGH STREET (west side, off)

18/23 No 112 (The Old Rectory) 1.3.67 GV II

Rectory, now house. Late C17 - early C18, perhaps with earlier origins; early C19 additions and alterations for Rev Thomas Skipwith, including bow windows and interior remodelling; renovations of c1980. Brick, rough rendered, with tarred lower courses. Concrete tile roof; plain clay tiles to bow windows. L-shaped on plan: 2-room, central entrance-hall south front with kitchen wing to rear left, single-room addition to front right with contemporary outshut to rear. 2 storeys with attic, 5 bays; symmetrical, with lower 2-storey single-bay extension to right. Flight of 4 stone steps to central entrance with door beneath small oval overlight, cornice and late C19 - early C20 bracketed hood; half-glazed door (6 panes over 2 fielded panels) in reveal. Fine ground-floor segmental bow windows to either side, each with 3 full-height 12-pane sashes, continuous sill, stone steps to central sash with moulded nosing and curtail steps, wooden surround of ribbed pilasters surmounted by bulb finials, panelled frieze bearing boldly carved cable mouldings with bulb finials, moulded cornice, stepped eaves band, conical roof. First floor: 12-pane flush sashes. Plain wooden eaves board. End stacks. Central C20 3-light full raking dormer with glazing bars. Extension has 12-pane sashes to each floor with stone sills. Rear has 12-pane sashes, single 20-pane sash to rear wing, in flush wooden surrounds. Interior. Chamfered oak ceiling beam with tongue stops in kitchen. Open-well main staircase, perhaps early C18, with closed-string, corniced handrail, plain newels and turned balusters with slender bulb above triple round knops. Ground-floor front rooms have boxed-in spine beams, early C19 ornate plasterwork cornices, friezes, and ribbed borders to ceilings, that to left room with paterae in angles, that to right with pendant balls; ribbed architraves to doors, with carved floral ornament to left room, 6-pointed stars and Tudor rose ornament to right; similar surrounds to bow windows, with beaded skirting and beaded-panel sash shutters; veined grey marble chimney-piece to right room, C20 fireplace to left, both flanked by basket-arched alcoves. Ribbed door architraves to stairhall and extension. 6-fielded-and-beaded panel doors throughout. Windows to extension and first floor have fielded-panel reveals and shutters with wrought-iron securing bars bearing stamped decoration. Arched alcoves to first-floor front bedrooms. The distinctive early C19 decorative motifs are very similar to those at 5 Cross Street, Crowle (qv). W Read, History of the Isle of Axholme, 1858, pp 306, 344.

Listing NGR: SE7834006418