Betley Old Hall

Betley Old Hall

Farmhouse built in the mid-15th century, extended and internally remodelled in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and extended again in the 19th century. The building is timber framed with plastered infill panels, plain tile roof, brick ridge stack to the hall range and lateral external stack to the cross-wing.

The original structure was a hall-house comprising a four-bay range aligned north-east to south-west with a two-bay single-storey hall to the north-east and a combined service and solar block to the south-west containing a cross-passage. A cross-wing was added to the north-east end in the late 16th or early 17th century to form a T-shaped plan. Further extensions were made to the north-east in the 19th century.

North-west elevation. Two storeys with two tiers of closely spaced studs. The cross-wing to the left has a gabled end with coved eaves and decorative framing of diagonally placed struts. In front of the gable is a low 19th-century extension and chimney stack. The hall range has two ground storey casements and a roughly central door. A blocked mullion window is visible on the first floor to the right. The right-hand gable-end return is plastered and painted to imitate timber framing.

South-east elevation. The hall range to the left has scattered fenestration, a 20th-century door to the right, and a blocked door with cambered arch at the centre. The cross-wing to the right has a coved overhanging gable with a collar and tie beam roof truss featuring V-struts above the collar and a central vertical strut below, flanked by diagonal bracing. Both sides of the wing have three tiers of closely spaced studs. The right-hand side has a massive brick stack with crow-stepped parapet.

Interior. The north-west door gives access to a lobby formed by the insertion of a chimney stack into the former cross-passage. A door to the right leads into the former services and another to the left opens to the hall. Directly in front of the door is a staircase ascending to the solar which occupies the first floor over the services and cross-passage. The hall is now divided by a first floor, probably inserted at the same time as the chimney stack. It has two bays of unequal length divided by an open arch braced truss with braces springing from chamfered wall shafts with moulded capitals. The roof has side purlins and curved wind braces. At the upper end of the hall is a series of peg holes in the wall which may have accommodated fittings for a bench, and a door with a four-centred head communicating with the cross-wing. The solar is also divided into two bays by an arch braced truss with braces springing from wall posts with chamfered fillets.

The cross-wing contains a parlour known as the Oak Room with early 17th-century wall panelling incorporating benches, cupboards and doors. The panelling bears an inscription reading "RE FE / DA. GLORY / AM. DEO. / 1621 / AUSTICIA. SINE. PRUDENTIA. PLURIMUM. POTERIT. SINE. JUSTICIA. NIAIL. VALEBIT. PRUDENTIA." An early 17th-century fireplace has a four-centred arch, moulded surround and strapwork frieze. One of the bricks is inscribed "RW 1626". The fireplace is flanked by fluted columns which apparently support the ends of a pair of chamfered ceiling beams with pyramid stops. In the centre bay of the wing is a 17th-century newel staircase with an octagonal section newel and splat balusters around the top of the stair well.