Barton House

Barton House is a manor house, probably built in the late 16th century with early 17th-century alterations and additions. It may have been remodelled by Inigo Jones around 1612.

The house is built of limestone ashlar with a chamfered plinth, moulded storey bands to the first and second floors, quoins and moulded coped gables with ball and obelisk finials. The central range has a parapet. Stone-slate roofs are topped with polygonal stone end stacks with moulded bases and cornices. The building has an H-shaped plan, is two storeys with an attic, and presents a five-window range.

The late 16th-century four-light mullioned windows with king mullions appear on the ground and first floors of the gabled wings, and on the first floor centre of the central range. Three-light mullioned windows light the attic storeys of the gabled wings, the first floor centre left and centre right of the central range, and three full gabled dormers of the central range and full gabled dormers of the gabled wings. Attic storey mullioned windows have hood moulds and labels. Early 17th-century two-storey porch towers occupy the angles between the central range and gabled wings, each with a four-light mullioned and transomed window to both floors. An early 17th-century moulded archway, flush with the porch towers, has a two-light mullioned and transomed window either side with chamfered lights above. The archway features a modillion moulded eaves cornice with ball finials and carved arms to the centre. A six-light hollow-chamfered mullioned and transomed hall window sits within the archway on the ground floor. To either side are 19th-century timber doors with ovolo- and ogee-moulded arched surrounds and carved keyblocks. Moulded pediments above each door, supported on early 17th-century pilasters with moulded capitals, display carved arms to the centre with foliage carving in the spandrels.

The rear of the central range features one four-light mullioned window with king mullion and two transoms to the right, with a three-light mullioned window with two transoms to the centre, along with a further six-light mullioned window and four- and three-light mullioned windows. There are three gabled dormers. A large projecting lateral stack with three moulded flues rises from this elevation. An early 17th-century moulded round-arched doorway with carved keyblock and 19th-century door is also present. The rear of the right gabled wing has a late 16th-century six-light mullioned and transomed window with king mullion and a further six-light mullioned window to the first floor. The rear of the left gabled wing has canted bays to ground and first floors. Its left facade has further two- and three-light mullioned windows and two large projecting stacks with moulded flues. A four-centred arched doorway to the centre displays an ogee- and ovolo-moulded surround and flat moulded stone hood on carved consoles. A Tudor-arched niche with moulded surround sits immediately to the right.

The right gabled wing has an original two-storey stone gabled brewhouse attached to the house by a late 19th-century stone range with imitative mullioned windows. The brewhouse has two- and three-light mullioned windows. An original four-centred arched doorway to the centre right of the brewhouse is partly restored.

Internally, the kitchen in the right gabled wing contains a large arched stone fireplace with original wood mantel and spit iron rack, and a double ovolo-moulded spine beam. The dining room features early 17th-century oak panelling with a modillion cornice, an early 17th-century plaster ceiling with simple oval and diamond-shaped and floral and foliage mouldings, a four-centred stone fireplace with moulded surround, a panelled door, and a dog-leg staircase with flat balusters. Four-centred arched doorways with many-moulded surrounds and heavily moulded stops open between rooms. The central range contains early 17th-century stone round arches with carved keyblocks and panelled undersides.

The hall features a large four-centred arched stone fireplace with heavily moulded surround, moulded over-mantel and heavily-moulded hood. The left gabled wing contains an open-well staircase rising to the attics, said to be by Inigo Jones, with heavy moulded balusters and rail. The 'Lords parlour' has late 16th-century heavily-moulded panelling with carved cornice and pilasters rising to the ceiling, a four-centred arched stone fireplace with an early 17th-century carved overmantel, a double-ovolo-moulded spine beam, and early 17th-century moulded panelled doors. The billiard room in the rear of the left gabled wing has three double-ovolo-moulded spine beams and a four-centred arched stone fireplace with moulded surround and original mantel. The first floor is said to have an oak panelled room and spine beams. The brewhouse contains ogee- and bar-stop-chamfered spine beams.