Layton Hall

Layton Hall is a manor house, now a house, dating probably to the late 16th century, with extensions in the 17th century and later alterations, including probable partial demolition. It is constructed of coursed squared sandstone with quoins, and has a stone slate roof. The building now has an irregular, F-shaped plan, with the left half and the central wing (formerly a west crosswing) being the earliest parts. The main east-west range has three bays, with a projecting wing to the north side of the third bay. Other projecting wings overlap the right end of the main range.

The central wing features a 18th-century plain doorway to the left (a single-storey porch was under construction at the time of survey), a blocked doorway, two inserted windows, recessed mullioned windows with round-headed lights (two and three lights) on the first floor, and gable coping with kneelers. The re-entrant wall of this wing has a lintel of a Tudor-arched doorway, altered to a window, and a canted addition in the angle. The main range to the left has deeply recessed mullioned windows on each floor, with five lights at ground floor (restored), and probably formerly a similar window above, now altered. The left gable wall includes a Tudor-arched, chamfered doorway, now covered by an addition. The added main range to the right has two two-light windows on each floor (restored), and the re-entrant wall of the right wing has two similar windows at first floor on different levels, with blocked openings at ground floor. The gable of this wing has restored mullioned windows with four lights at ground floor and three lights above, and also has gable coping with kneelers. Chimneys are located at the left gable, on the right-hand side of each wing, and on the ridge at the junction of the main range.

The south front (facing the garden) has coupled gables where the wings join, with the right-hand gable (the south gable of the earlier wing) having recessed mullioned windows with six round-headed lights at ground floor (with a likely lowering of the sill) and four similar lights above. The left-hand gable has two two-light windows on each floor, all with chamfered mullions, and copings to both gables, with a stone spout between them. A modern addition with a catslide roof is present on this side of the main range.

Internally, the earlier main range has three large king-post roof trusses, with V-struts, longitudinal bracing to the ridge, and carpenters' marks of long diagonal strokes "I", "II", and "III". Large blocked square mortices and double mortices in the tie-beams suggest former use as wall-plates. Of particular interest are two stone fireplaces in the former outer side wall of the 16th-century crosswing: a large rectangular fireplace with moulded jambs and a rising stop at ground floor, and a smaller, Tudor-arched fireplace in the chamber above.