The Old Rectory

The Old Rectory

House, circa 1780s, possibly designed by William Henderson of Leicester for William Hanbury Junior. The building is constructed in brick with stone dressings beneath a hipped Swithland slate roof behind a parapet. It has one ridge stack and two lateral stacks.

The south front is the principal elevation, displaying 2½ storeys across 5 bays. The centrepiece consists of a forward pedimented projection containing a large semi-circular arch flanked by smaller semi-circular arches, all executed in gauged brick. The central doorway has a stone surround with a flat hood and fascia decorated with swags, a 6-panel door and fanlight. To either side are 2 glazing bar sashes with gauged brick flat arches. Above these sits a Venetian window comprising a central glazing bar sash with a semi-circular arch flanked by side lights with flat arches, all in gauged brick. Flanking the Venetian window are 2 further glazing bar sashes with gauged brick flat arches. Beneath the Venetian window and its flanking sashes are aprons with stone balusters. The top storey has 4 smaller glazing bar sashes with gauged brick flat arches. The pediment contains 3 acroteria, currently topped with 20th-century cement urns replacing the originals. The tympanum was originally decorated with a central stucco urn with Adamesque garlands; fragments of this remain at the house.

Single-storey screen wall wings flank the main block, each consisting of one bay. These continue the stone plinth and uppermost first floor band of the main block. Each wing comprises a short stretch of brick wall with a stone scroll at the junction with the main block, followed by a forward-standing projection with a triangular coped pediment bearing a stucco fascia decorated with a sunflower and swag. Below is a single glazing bar sash with gauged brick flat arch set within double-ordered gauged brick arches. Beyond this a further short stretch of wall terminates in a pier, again with a stone scroll at its junction, coping and a 20th-century cement urn on top. Stone details include a plinth, first floor bands, and a dentilled cornice across the main block.

The north front is plainer in treatment. It features a stone plinth, first floor bands and dentilled cornice. Giant order angle pilasters with stone capitals frame the elevation. The central doorway has a stone surround with triangular pediment and a part-glazed door with overlight. To either side are 2 glazing bar sashes with gauged brick flat arches. Above sits a central glazing bar sash with a stone surround comprising an apron with balusters, fluted pilasters and a segmental pediment. Flanking this are 2 glazing bar sashes with gauged brick flat arches on each side. Above again is a smaller glazing bar sash with plain stone surround, flanked by 2 similar sashes. The attached screen walls on this front continue the plinth and first floor bands in a parapet with a central panel of balusters, topped with a 20th-century cement urn at the wall's end. Each wall has a ground floor cill band and a single glazing bar sash with gauged brick flat arch.

A 19th-century single-storey service block fills the space between the screen walls on the east side of the house.

The interior features a central entrance hall with flanking rooms and arches to left and right giving onto staircases. The main staircase has slim turned balusters and a plain moulded rail.