The Old Rectory

THE OLD RECTORY

A rectory, now converted to a house, situated on Thurgarton Road at Gonalston. The building dates from the early 18th century, with early and mid-18th century outbuildings, a late 18th century garden front, and various alterations from the late 19th and 20th centuries.

The entrance front is constructed of red brick with a plain tile roof and two red brick gable stacks. The building features raised brick coped gables with kneelers and dentil eaves. It is two storeys and three bays in plan with double depth. The central doorway has a panelled door with decorative glazing bar overlight, sheltered by a porch with two slim columns and a dentil cornice. On either side are single tripartite glazing bar sash windows under segmental arches. Above these, to the left is a smaller single glazing bar sash, while to the right is a similar glazing bar casement, both under segmental arches with a single central dropped round arched stair light between them. A further window is located to the left of the right sash.

Adjoining the main house to the right is an early 18th century red brick stable block with domestic accommodation above, also with plain tile roof. This is a lower two-storey structure of four bays with raised brick coped gable and dentil eaves. A single 20th century buttress stands at the right angle. The ground floor features, from left to right, a round arched archway, two doorways with plank doors (the right being smaller), and a single glazing bar sash. The upper floor has a single casement and, to the right, a single quadripartite casement, both with lead glazing bars.

Further right stands a mid-18th century single-storey outbuilding of red brick and plain tile, comprising three bays. It has a raised brick coped gable with kneeler and remains of dogtooth eaves. From left to right are a single glazing bar fixed light, a doorway with double garage door, and a single small fixed light.

To the left of the main house, set back, is a red brick and plain tile lower two-storey wing of two bays with raised brick coped gable and kneeler. Projecting from this is a red brick and pantile single-storey lean-to with a single 20th century glazing bar fixed light. To its left extends a further projecting red brick and pantile single-storey wing with two 20th century glazing bar casements in the side wall.

The garden front features some ashlar construction with a slate roof and two red brick gable stacks. The gables are raised with kneelers, now rendered, and the building has a moulded eaves cornice set on a narrow plinth. The ground floor displays an ashlar sill band. This elevation is two and a half storeys and three bays, with the single central bay slightly projecting and topped by an open pediment. The central doorway, reached by five steps, has a glazing bar and panelled door with panelled reveal and Gothick glazing bar overlight. The projecting hood is supported on wrought iron brackets and has a modillion cornice. On either side are single late 19th century red brick and lead canted bays, each containing three glazing bar sashes divided by single ashlar pilasters with entablature. Above the central bay is a glazing bar sash flanked by two slightly larger similar sashes. Above these are three small glazing bar sashes following the same pattern. The first and second floor sashes have flush ashlar lintels with keystones.

Set back to the right of the garden front is a heightened red brick and plain tile wing with raised brick coped gable, ashlar coped kneeler and dentil eaves. This is two storeys and a single bay, featuring a doorway with a 20th century glazing bar double door and above it a single glazing bar sash. Projecting from the right is a red brick and tile single-storey range with three doorways bearing double glazing bar doors and fanlights in the side wall, and two glazing bar sashes to the front.

Set back to the left is the early 18th century range, featuring a round arched archway and to its left a single small 20th century glazing bar casement. Above are four glazing bar sashes. Further left stands the late 18th century range, which includes a doorway with a plank door.