Eye Manor

Eye Manor is a country house built for Ferdinando Gorges in 1673, with a datestone of 1680. Later alterations occurred in the late 18th century and during the 20th century, including additions to the north side. The construction is brick on a sandstone rubble plinth, with tiled roofs. The house has a rectangular plan with two parallel roof ranges, end stacks, and a central entrance, with later additions extending to the north. It extends over two storeys, with cellars and attics.

The east front features three late 19th-century dormer windows, sash windows with twelve panes of glass to the first floor, and a datestone above the central window. A central Doric portico provides access via an inner six-panelled door. Two blocked stone cross-mullioned window openings are found on the north side.

The interior retains elaborate plastered ceilings throughout the rooms on the ground and first floors. The entrance hall has a large ceiling divided into nine panels by deeply moulded trabeations, decorated with alternating swags of floral motifs and drapery, and rosettes. It also features moulded panelling to the walls and a bolection moulded surround to the fireplace. A doorway to the west has panelled pilasters and a cornice. The south-east room contains moulded panelling and a bolection moulded fireplace, with a geometrical patterned ceiling featuring central motifs enriched with acanthus and floral motifs, and wreaths with foliage and putti in the outer panels. The south-west room has a geometrical patterned ceiling with oakleaf and bay wreaths, rosettes and altered figures at corners. The north-west room exhibits irregular bolection moulded panelling and a ceiling with a central circular panel and square outer panels displaying the coats of arms of Gorges and Hilliard. The staircase hall has a panelled dado, and the staircase features a pulvinated frieze, moulded risers and handrail, twisted balusters and square newels. The upper landing is panelled to above dado level and is pedimented on three sides, featuring pilasters and a cornice. The tympana to the left and right display painted motifs representing the arms of Hilliard and Gorges respectively, while the third tympanum shows an escallop and swags. Each room on the first floor retains its plastered ceiling with various geometrical patterns enriched with acanthus, floral, foliage motifs and cherubs and putti, with each room having a unique design. The attics and bedrooms retain some stone bolection moulded fireplaces and panelling.