Presbytery adjacent to the Church of Our Lady and St Alphonsus

A monastery building of 1844-46 by Charles Hansom, in use as a dwelling and presbytery since 1851.

MATERIALS: the presbytery is built of Cradley stone with Forest of Dean stone dressings, and has a tiled roof.

PLAN: the entrance elevation of the presbytery faces north; to the south it is connected to the Church of Our Lady and St Alphonsus by a covered way.

DESCRIPTION Exterior: the building is of two storeys and three bays with a one bay cross wing to the east. There is a timber bellcote on the main ridge. The main entrance is in the northern elevation, in a pointed arch surround with a moulded hood. The thick timber door has original ironwork studs and handle. Above the door is a two-light mullion and transom window with trefoil heads in a square surround. The tall gable to the east contains a single trefoiled opening at first-floor level. West of the door is a canted bay with modern glazing, flanked by single-light windows with paired windows in dormers above and small lucarne openings above these. There is a further door giving access to a single storey wing to the west, with a walled yard beyond with timber gates.

The eastern elevation has further trefoil-headed windows, those in the large first-floor dormer have a quatrefoil opening above and a carved stone cross at the apex of the gable. There is also an armorial panel on this elevation. The southern elevation is of three bays, the third giving access to the covered way, and the cross wing beyond. There are three steeply gabled attic dormers at first-floor level.

Interior: the main front door opens into a large hall which is understood to have originally been the monks' refectory, with a large pointed arch halfway down its length and a door giving access to the covered way at one end. The windows retain original shutters which unfold to match the shape of the openings. The principal reception room has an ornate fireplace and timber beamed ceiling. Further rooms at ground floor level have original timber doors, some with quatrefoil viewing panes. The service range to the west retains some original cupboards in pointed openings, and one room retains dairy setlas.

The main stair has chamfered balusters and carved newel posts, and rises to the first floor where the original monks' cells have been converted to bedrooms. Most retain original timber doors. The second floor is much altered but retains original windows with decorative iron handles in lucarne openings.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES The garden is bounded by stone walls and to the east there is a stone outbuilding with openings which are said to have been used as lookouts by the Home Guard during the Second World War.