Great Greave

This is a large house dating to the late 16th century, with significant alterations made in the mid-19th century when a rear aisle was raised to two storeys. It is constructed of large dressed stone with a stone slate roof. The building features a hall-and-cross-wing plan, with the wings projecting to the south. A three-room front through-passage plan is also present.

The west wing is the most prominent, with a wide gable embracing a single-storey aisle or outshut to the west. Both wings have coped gables with kneelers. The windows throughout are double-chamfered mullioned, characterized by a deep, steeply pitched outer chamfer and an ovolo moulded inner chamfer and mullions, all with hoodmolds featuring straight returns. The west wing has a small chamfered light to the aisle, as well as a 6-light window above a 5-light window on the first floor. The right-hand return wall mirrors this design with a 3-light window above another 3-light window on the first floor. The hall range, set at an angle, has a 14-light and a 6-light mullioned and transomed window (a fire-window), with two 2-light windows and a 4-light window above on the first floor. The east wing projects slightly, featuring a doorway with a Tudor arched lintel, a cavetto-moulded surround with carved spandrels, and two 2-light windows with a 3-light window above on the first floor, all with cavetto-moulded mullions. The left-hand return wall of the east wing is constructed of dressed rubble and contains two flat-faced mullioned windows of 2 lights and a doorway with a wooden surround. Quoins are present throughout. The rear wings are gabled, featuring copings, kneelers, and finials. The east wing has two 2-light windows with a 3-light window above on the first floor and an identical doorway to the through passage. The aisle has a 3-light window, and the west wing has a 5-light window above a 2-light window, with a 4-light window above the 5-light. A small chamfered light is situated at the junction of the aisle. A right-hand return wall includes a 3-light window and a doorway, protected by a stone and glass storm porch constructed around 1983.

Inside, the housebody retains a large bressumer supporting two stop-chamfered spine beams with run-out stops. The parlour includes a fireplace with a moulded surround similar to the through passage door. A king post truss features ‘V’ struts. The building exhibits fine quality stone masonry and rare ovolo mullions. The through passage in the east wing, with its cavetto-moulded mullions, may predate the hall range and west wing. The unusual feature of an aisle on the lateral wall of the west wing is also of note.