Houndhill

Manor house, dating from the 16th century with substantial additions from the 17th century, and extensively renovated in 1934. The house is constructed primarily of ashlar sandstone with a stone slate roof, and incorporates a timber-framed wing. It has a broadly H-shaped plan, with a two-bay central section flanked by single-bay wings, and partially includes cellars and attics, presenting a two-storey facade with two windows on the first floor of the central section, and one window on each side wing.

The central recess features a doorway on the left with chamfered jambs and a deep lintel, and a double-chamfered cross-window to its right, which is a four-light mullioned window. The wing to the left has a chamfered plinth and sash windows with glazing bars set within altered double-chamfered surrounds; the ground-floor dripmould has been cut back, and a first-floor window on the right replaces what was formerly a doorway. The left wing features shaped kneelers and gable copings with renewed finials. The wing on the right has corner posts flanking a circa 1934 six-light transomed window in the ground floor walling. The upper storey of this wing is rendered, with a coved apron to a five-light transomed window; the coving sits below a tie beam of an A-strut king-post truss with wall-plate ends set on shaped brackets. The tie beam bears a recut inscription 'R 1566 E'. Bargeboards are fitted with a wooden finial. Corniced ashlar ridge stacks are present on each wing, with a stack also on the central ridge. The rear elevation is similar, with a chamfered ground-floor dripmould, and the inscription 'DAIRY' above a window in the ashlar wing. Exposed timber-framing is visible on the upper storey of the 16th-century wing, featuring a tie beam inscribed 'LKE 1934 DWE'. An ashlar gable displays the base for a diagonally-set end stack.

The right return exhibits exposed timber framing across most of the wall, excluding the ground-floor section on the left. A door is situated between two posts that flank the ridge stack, and a wooden four-light transomed window is present on the right. Chevron struts are above the mid-rail, with vertical studding and coving beneath the two first-floor windows of four-lights, the left of which is transomed. The first-floor mid-rail includes vertical studs above, above a two-light window.

The interior of the entrance hall reveals exposed framing of the wing and an ashlar fireplace, along with a balustraded dog-leg staircase incorporating earlier features. Several ashlar fireplaces are found within the framed wing and throughout the house, one featuring a segmental arch. Significant amounts of 17th-century panelling are present, decorated with guilloche and foliage friezes. The house was formerly the home of the Elmhirst family, the initials on the front tie beam being those of Roger Elmhirst or his son Robert, who died in 1618. Richard Elmhurst, who died in 1653, fortified the house for his family. The ashlar wing was reportedly used as a wool store, evidenced by the first-floor gable doorway. The foundations of a 16th to 17th century dyeing and weaving workshop are located near the rear-right corner of the house. A further date of 1606 was documented during the 1934 renovations. It is described as an outstanding house in the region, which after a period of 250 years, has returned to the Elmhirst family.